24 Day 2
by TB's LMC
Summary: His name is Jeff Tracy, and this is the second longest day of his life.
1. Hour One

_**Summary: **__It's been two years since Acronym and the Hood tried to put an end to International Rescue. Now, an evil force is gathering once more. His wife and son have been kidnapped, and the patriarch of the Tracy family may be the reason. His name is Jeff Tracy, and this is the second longest day of his life. _

_**Author's Note: **__This story was written as a response to the Tracy Island Writers Forum's 2005 Spring Challenge. Credit goes to fellow TIC author Molly Webb, who wrote the text shown at the beginning of the story in italics._

_**Acknowledgments:**__ I must thank my left arm, Sandy, who dropped everything whenever I finished an Hour to proofread it for me. And the person who continues to be my right arm: Sam. Always there to answer my questions and provide excellent feedback and encouragement. Thank you, both. _

_**Prerequisite:**__ It's not necessary, but you may wish to read "24" first, because this is the sequel and therefore references some events from its predecessor._

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><p><strong>24 – Day 2<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Hour One<strong>

_The following takes place between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m._

8:01:24

_Jeff Tracy had been at work in his office at the Tracy Corp. headquarters since 7:00 a.m. His briefcase lay open on one corner of his desk, balancing the stacked piles of papers and reports that nearly covered the gleaming expanse of black glass. He was lost in concentration on a particularly troublesome spreadsheet when his cell phone rang. Absently he picked it up and answered, his eyes still on the paper before him. "Jeff Tracy."_

_There was a pause, and then a voice replied. "The Jeff Tracy?"_

_Jeff frowned, full attention suddenly focused on the phone at his ear. "Who is this? How did you get this number?"_

_Again there was a pause before the voice answered. "I found it in your son's wallet."_

"My son's wallet," he replied matter-of-factly. This had been tried before. As a billionaire and well-known former astronaut with five grown sons, extortionists were, unfortunately, something the Tracy family had dealt with before.

"You don't seem surprised."

"I'm not. Now tell me," he continued calmly as he pushed a small black button beneath his desk, "what is your name?"

"You may call me...Ebony."

Jeff looked up as two security guards silently entered his office. He motioned for them to come near, jotted one word down on a scrap of paper, and within seconds the men were gone.

"Ebony. That's a very interesting name."

He received no response.

Jeff heard a very faint click and knew a trace had been placed on the call as he'd asked. Now it was just a matter of time until they found out where _this_ one was and had them arrested like they had any others who'd come their way.

"So which of my sons' wallets did you find this in, Ebony?"

"Well, let's see now. That would be the son who was with your _girl_friend, Jeff Tracy."

He couldn't help but notice the venom that dripped from her voice as she spoke his name, but for the life of him did not recognize her.

Wait...girlfriend? That could only be...and she was with...but how could this Ebony have known unless...?

_Oh, God._

"My girlfriend, you say?" Jeff asked evenly. Just then, Line 1 on his office phone rang.

"That will probably be her, Jeff Tracy. You may want to get that."

"No, w—"

But she was gone. He dropped the cell phone and picked up the office receiver. "Jeff Tracy."

"Jeff?"

Also a female voice, but there was no mistaking the owner of this one. Or the tremor in it she couldn't hide.

He suddenly found he couldn't breathe. "Penny?"

"Jeff...Jeff, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry!"

"Penny? What is it? What's happened? Where's John, Penny? Where is he?"

"I—they took him, Jeff. He's gone. He's gone!"

8:14:32

"God, Jeff, it all happened so fast and Parker, he...he tried to fight them, we both did, but...Jeff, he's dead. Parker's dead!"

"He's _what_?"

Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I'll never be able to ride in FAB One again."

"Oh, God, Penny...I'm so sorry. Listen to me, are you safe where you are?"

"Yes, Sir Jeremy is on his way. We're off to SH-34."

"F.A.B. I'll meet you there."

"Jeff..."

"Penny, I'll be there as fast as I can."

"I love you."

Moisture pooled in his eyes. "I love you, too."

8:21:54

"Yes, that's right, my son has been kidnapped."

_God, Ned, where are you when I need you most?_

Jeff rubbed his forehead. Ned could've kept these reporters at bay. With his death two years previous, both the Tracys and International Rescue had lost a valuable ally and someone Jeff had come to call friend.

"Mr. Tracy, can you give us any information about the kidnappers? Who made the phone call? Is there a ransom demand?"

"Ladies and Gentlemen, please, Mr. Tracy needs to make it to the airport," an older, graying police officer said as he and others tried to push the reporters away.

_How did they even find out about it, for God's sake?_

Jeff finally made it to the waiting squad car and was pretty much pushed into the back seat. It was slow-going, but the car finally broke through the crowd in front of Tracy Corp's headquarters and, sirens blaring, headed for Teterboro.

A rather short, squat officer in the passenger seat half-turned to face him. "Mr. Tracy, I'm Chief William Costill. We're going to get in touch with the World Police as soon as we get you safely in the air, but I need to know now if you have _any_ idea at all who this Ebony is."

"No, Chief Costill, I don't. Believe me, I wish I did."

_Come on, come on, this is taking too long. Too long!_

"We're going to do everything we can from here, Mr. Tracy, but it isn't going to be much since he was in England when he was taken."

"I know, and thank you for what help you _can_ give."

Finally. The airport. His jet was outside Hangar Q. He'd be airborne inside 30 minutes.

_John._

_Penny._

Damn.

8:34:14

He spluttered awake.

_Where the hell am I?_

Coughing, choking. Can't get the air into his lungs. What...water? Why water?

_Where am I?_

"Hello, John Tracy."

Hacking, coughing.

"Come now, I know you to be more of a gentleman than not to say hello to a lady."

John's eyes wrenched open against the searing pain in his head. "Who...?"

"You must look at me."

His eyes closed against the pain, against the voice that was far too much like velvet, far too soothing. Something wasn't right about it. Something...

"Look at me, John."

Soft. Velvet. Lulling.

"Jo-ohn. Open your eyes, John."

_No. Too much pain._

Hands at his eyes, forcing them open.

_No!_

Bright light. Too bright!

"Come, John. Am I so awful to see?"

Focus, focus, focus.

Dark. Dark woman. Skin so dark it was like...like ebony. Her hand reached out and touched his arm. His arm so white, so light, like...ivory.

_Ebony and ivory..._

He almost laughed but then couldn't remember what there was to laugh about as an awful pain reappeared behind his eyes. But they were held open. He could not close them, no matter how hard he tried.

_Who are you?_

"Ah, you try to speak to my mind. Surprising. I was not aware a Tracy possessed such mental capacity as that."

"What the...where am I? Who are you?" he finally bellowed, struggling against strong arms that held him down on a very uncomfortable chair.

She stepped closer, more into the light and their eyes met.

Dazzling. Beautiful. Colors...swirling, beautiful. Sparkling. Beautiful.

"Hello, John."

Silk. Velvet.

"My name is Ebony." She withdrew her hand. "I think we will get along just fine, John. Just fine."

_Ebony._

His eyelids were released.

_Oh, God. Help me..._

8:40:02

He knew it'd be ready when he got there. Barney was quick and good. He'd known the Tracys as long as Jeff could remember, and took good care of the Corporation aircraft. He'd called him the moment Chief Costill had become silent.

_"Get her ready for me, Barney. I'm in one helluva hurry."_

_"A-OK, Jeff."_

Sure enough, the jet was fueled and ready for take-off, pre-flight checks completed. Barney moved to shake his hand, but the look on Jeff's face told him it wasn't a time for civility.

"Ready to go, Colonel."

"Thank you, Barney."

Finally into the jet. Thank God. Rev the engines. Start to move.

"Tower, this is Tracy Twelve requesting clearance for take-off."

"One moment, Tracy Twelve."

_Taking too long, taking too long._

"Tracy Twelve..." The voice startled him. "Tracy Twelve, this is the Tower. You are cleared for take-off on Runway 2-7."

"Affirmative, Tracy Twelve out."

_Hurry it up, hurry it up._

Wouldn't do to crash on your way, Jeff. Be smart.

Who had done this? Who had killed Parker, kidnapped John? Penny's voice...he'd never heard her like that. Not even back when Acronym and the Hood had been after them. Never.

_I'm coming, John._

_I'm coming, Penny._

_Please let John be okay. Please._

Gather speed. Runway passes beneath at a dizzying pace. That first rush, when the stomach flops as you leave the ground. Jeff began to _feel_ sick to his stomach. But it wasn't the take-off.

_John._

He remembered when Acronym had held Gordon aboard the sub, and then Tin-Tin. One by one, it seemed, his family had been picked off in one way or another...either by a crazed nurse or armed gunmen or their arch-enemy the Hood. Penny had killed him herself. Penny was strong. She'd hold up. He knew she would.

And Ned. Ned had saved his life.

He'd almost lost John and Brains in Thunderbird 3. They almost hadn't made it. But they'd succeeded. And together, they'd recovered.

But now?

_Oh, God, John._

The sick feeling in the pit of his stomach grew.

8:52:12

"That's right, John, sleep. Just sleep."

_What's the matter with me?_

"Rest now. When you wake, we will begin."

_Begin? Begin what?_

"Oh, John, I'm so pleased with your mind. You will be perfect for this. Just perfect."

Thoughts, questions, everything fading away to velvet. Soft, ebony velvet surrounding him like a cloak, a shield. And then sleep, blessed sleep to claim his weary body, to take away the pain behind his eyes.

_Father..._

Ebony stepped away from the prone figure, white teeth flashing as a smile graced her face. Tall and thin, her well-toned muscles rippled with every move she made. With a wave of her hand she dismissed an Asian slave and stood staring down at her prey in triumph.

Closing her eyes, she began to hum softly, words barely making themselves heard among the rich tones of her voice. Suddenly a glow seemed to come from nowhere, above the bed where John Tracy lay asleep. Oblivious.

Irises so black the pupils could not be seen appeared from beneath heavy eyelids that rose to meet the glow. She swayed and gazed upon its smoky grayness flecked with flashes of blue.

_My love,_ she thought as her smile grew. _You have come._

8:59:58

8:59:59

9:00:00


	2. Hour Two

**Hour Two**

_The following takes place between 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m._

9:00:42

"Come on, come on..." Jeff grumbled as he looked out over the vast Atlantic Ocean, spread as far in every direction as the eye could see. Ordinarily the sight might be considered beautiful. Blue skies, darker blue waters, the occasional ship or yacht passing beneath him. Not a cloud. Not a drop of rain. Nothing at all but Jeff, the sky...and his tormented thoughts.

It could have been just another hoax, aimed at getting money out of the Tracys. It could've been. But it wasn't. Penny's voice had told the truth of the situation. Parker was dead. Parker...poor Parker. A good man. Had been there for Penny, saving her life countless times. He never missed, ol' Parker. For him to get caught off-guard enough to lose his life meant that they were dealing with someone extraordinary.

And Penelope. It had taken insurmountable odds and personal tragedy for Jeff to realize how much he loved her, and for them to actually become a couple. They had been deliriously happy for two years, having spent the last year of it has husband and wife. The Tracy family fully accepted Penny as the other half of their patriarch now, even though none of them knew about the secret marriage part of the whole deal. Jeff grinned when he thought of what their reaction to that would be. But his grin faded as he recalled her voice...so sad, so frightened. What had she seen?

He checked the chronometer.

_Should've taken a faster jet._

But of course, that was nonsense. Tracy Twelve was just as fast as any other jet in the fleet.

_Need Thunderbird One._

Oh, God. The boys. They didn't even know. John was gone. But where? Who was Ebony and why had she kidnapped him? She had sounded so sure of herself. Her voice had dripped with bitterness when she'd spoken Jeff's name. But _why_? There were no answers and with a miserable sigh he opened a communications channel.

"This is Tracy Twelve calling Alan Tracy. Come in, please."

"This is Alan Tracy receiving you, Tracy Twelve."

"Alan, Code Scarlet."

There were several seconds of silence and Jeff heard a faint tinny click before Alan's voice came through again.

"Father, we're on a closed double-blind channel. What's going on?"

"Alert Base, Alan. I want everyone on this so I only have to say it once."

"F.A.B."

Jeff stared straight ahead out the cockpit window, grateful to see the speck on the horizon that meant he was getting closer to England. His hands gripped the steering yoke with such force that his fingers actually hurt. But he couldn't loosen his hold on it. Pain kept him grounded.

"Father, we have everyone listening in, all members accounted for."

"Thank you, Alan. Now everyone, I need you to listen to me. No reactions, just listen. Just about an hour ago I received a phone call from someone claiming to have kidnapped John. A few minutes later, Lady Penelope called and confirmed that John had been taken. Parker was killed during the kidnapping. Penelope is safe for the moment with Sir Jeremy, and I'm on my way to England to pick her up."

Jeff was suddenly cut off by Alan. "Father! It's sir Jeremy on a secure line! It's urgent!"

_Damn._

"Patch him through!"

"M-Mr. Tracy?"

"Sir Jeremy, what is it? Is everything okay?"

"No, Sir, I-I'm afraid not. Sir, I..." His voice faded into the ether.

"Sir Jeremy? Sir Jeremy, come in!"

"S-Sorry, Mr...I...they...they took her."

Jeff grew pale, hands gripping the yoke impossibly tighter. "Sir Jeremy," he said, his voice so low it was barely heard back on the island. "Where is Penny?"

"We...we almost made it...two hundred meters...from nowhere, a woman...dark woman...gone...Lady...gone." There was a choked sound and then nothing more.

"Sir Jeremy?"

The air waves were silent.

"Father, the line is still open, but he's not transmitting any longer. I think he's...gone."

Jeff swallowed hard. Now what, Sir Jeremy was dead? What the hell would Jeff find when he landed in England? Penny was "gone," but what did that mean? Kidnapped? Or...or...

_Oh, God, why? Why my family, why?_

Jeff swallowed again, mindful of the fact that the rest of his family waited for him to speak. "You've all just heard that, I presume."

"Yes, Father," came Scott's voice. Sure and steady, but undoubtedly hiding the same anguish Jeff felt in his own heart.

"I have no idea what's happening over there. I must assume the area near Safe House 34 is hostile. Scott, I want you in the air now in case I need backup."

"F.A.B.!"

"I have to assess the situation in order for us to get as many facts as possible before we act. The rest of you are to do _nothing_ until you receive orders from me."

"But...what if something happens to you, too, Jeff?"

"Mother, I—" Jeff stopped and thought for a second. His mother was right. "Okay, you've made your point. Scott, I'll be landing in approximately thirty-five minutes. From the moment I tell you I've arrived, if you don't hear from me by the time you get to the coordinates, you are to assume I have been incapacitated and take control of International Rescue."

"F.A.B., Dad," Scott responded quietly.

"Remain on Code Scarlet until further notice. I want all hands gathering as much intelligence as possible. The person who claimed she had John called herself Ebony. And Sir Jeremy mentioned something about a 'dark woman.' While Scott's on his way, the rest of you start with those two facts. I'll contact you again once I hit land. Tracy Twelve out."

Jeff knew he should be feeling fear. Trepidation at what he might find near SH-34. But he didn't feel fear. In fact, he didn't feel anything at all. He was numb. Had he lost Lucille, then found love again with Penelope only to lose her as well?

Best not to feel until absolutely necessary.

9:20:27

He awoke with that feeling that he'd been having a terrible nightmare...the kind you can't remember, but know you desperately don't want to have again. The kind that hurts even though it's only in your mind, and only when you sleep at night.

But his mind was strangely silent. Strange...why did he think that strange? Not a sound to be heard, but before his head had hurt, his eyes had hurt...

He startled awake as the realization of it _not_ being a dream hit him like an old-time locomotive. Trying to sit bolt upright...restrained!

_I can't move, I can't move!_

John jerked his arms. Chains clanked. He jerked his legs. More chains clanked.

_What the fuck-?_

Eyes open, but dark. Why dark?

"Hello?"

_Clank. Clank-clank._

Jerk an arm, a leg, both arms again...try both legs.

_My ass is cold_.

Shit!

_I'm naked! What the-!_

"Can anyone hear me?" he called out.

Or, rather, he _tried_ to call out. His throat was dry, raspy. A cry for help morphed into a coughing fit. His eyes watered as he fought to get his tortured throat and lungs under control.

Tortured? Why tortured? What had happened to his lungs? To him?

_Where am I?_ kept repeating over and over in his head as he forced himself not to cough the next cough. His body shook from the effort as tears streamed down his temples.

_My ass is cold_. He thought the same thought, realized again the same thing, that he was naked. Cold and naked on something just as cold. His hands were like ice, fingers protesting attempts to move them.

Where were the colors, the beautiful, swirling colors? The velvety voice, soft and sweet...

He felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. Goosebumps rose from every pore. That voice. Something so terribly wrong. He'd been with...who...who? Penny...Penny! He'd been with...oh, God, Parker. Parker, he'd seen him shot, shot many times as he was dragged away, Penny was gone, missing, he'd seen her run into the trees, they'd run after her but he could tell by their shouts she'd gotten away, in his head he cheered, he cheered her on, _Go, Penny, run! Run! Run, Penny, run!_ as his captors pulled him into the cargo plane and spirited him away, he felt them take off and then...then...what?

Darkness. But something else seemed to linger in his mind, something he should be remembering. Crying out in frustration, John began to shiver, jerking against the heavy chains in vain. Whoever had him was trying to make damn sure he didn't get away.

By now, wouldn't his father know he was missing?

9:29:17

She tossed and turned, not having intended to fall asleep at all, but once having rested on the bed, finding it impossible not to. Her mind took her back, back to a time that seemed endless ages ago. A time not so far away in the deepest corners of her mind.

_She awoke to find herself shivering. It wasn't cold, exactly, but it wasn't warm, either. Blinking herself to full consciousness, her eyes widened when she realized she was surrounded by darkened shadows, flickering lights playing over walls. But what was the source of the light? Torches. Torches lined the room, flames dancing at the end of the long, wooden posts hanging from what looked like walls of stone._

_And she was along one of those walls. She felt the cold, unforgiving stone against her back. Naked? She was naked, head to toe. Her arms hung above her head, bound by metal shackles that mercilessly pinched her wrists. She smelled of spice and scented oils, an intoxicating brew that made her feel lightheaded. The dizzying effect was completed by the surreal firelight that made shadows seem alive. As though they were more than shadows. Much more._

_Where was she? The last thing she remembered was...Kuala Lumpur. She and Victor had gone to...what was it...a store of some sort. Victor had apologized for sidetracking them from their destination, which had been the street fair on the main avenue._

_Now she remembered..._

_"I'll only be a moment, darling. Then we'll go and buy you all the pretty things your heart desires."_

_She smiled at Victor. He treated her like a princess, unlike any other man had ever treated her. They were to be wed in two months. This was a sort of...pre-wedding gift, he'd told her._

_"I'll just wait out here, Victor," she smiled. "Be quick."_

_He disappeared inside the building. She turned her attention to the passers-by, some tourists like she and Victor, some Malay natives going about their daily lives. A peddler stopped, trying to get her to purchase something from his cart. She politely refused, making it as clear as she could that she was not interested in his shabby wares. He spoke no English, but thankfully seemed to understand, and continued on his way._

_A mother with her two children walked by, the small boy no more than five years of age staring at her as though she were an oddity the likes of which he'd never seen. She supposed she might have been at that, considering most Malaysians were lighter of hair, eye and skin than she. But surely the boy had seen other tourists living in a city such as this._

_That's when she noticed their clothing. Not modern, like other Kuala Lumpurians she'd encountered. It looked very simple...homemade. This family must have been from one of the outlying areas, she reasoned. One of the poorer villages. Then it was a distinct possibility the boy hadn't ever seen one with jet black hair and dark, dark eyes, one whose skin was like coal compared to his own._

_She was so lost in her musings on the boy and his mother that she didn't see it coming. Didn't hear the creaking of the peddler's cart. Didn't notice as it stopped so close to her. She felt strong arms grasp her from behind, one hand closing over her mouth, stifling the scream that tried to break forth. The arms hauled her back into the nearby alley, forcing her to the ground. In the same moment she realized she'd been thrown onto a large handmade rug, she felt it being pulled over her, and then she was rolling over and over and over. Cocooned into the rug._

_Trying to scream again, only then did she realize a cloth had been stuffed into her mouth. Her voice died in her throat as she flipped over three more times, and then stopped. A grunting sound as she was lifted, then plopped down upon something that creaked. Creaked. The peddler's cart!_

_Her suspicions were confirmed as the cart began to move. She recognized the sounds. It was the peddler's cart indeed. Arms pinned to her sides, legs smashed tightly together, she couldn't move an inch. The last thing she heard as the cart creaked away was Victor's voice._

_"Judith!" he cried at the top of his lungs. "Judith!"_

_Now she remembered it all. She'd been kidnapped, and had heard Victor yelling for her as she'd been carted away. Tear-filled eyes opened once more as she realized she was no longer alone in this cool, clammy room. She watched as naked men carried a young girl, who couldn't have been more than twelve or thirteen, into the room and laid her atop what looked to Judith like a gray stone altar. The tabletop was a different hue, like black marble, and much larger than the child's bare form._

_Who were these men? She peered through the flickering light, for something seemed off about them somehow, just not quite right. And then her eyes fell lower upon one of the men, and she knew what it was. He'd been castrated. They all had. Her jaw dropped. Eunuchs? But why? Where was she?_

_They all looked like native Malay, if the populace in Kuala Lumpur had been any indication. The girl was not bound, but she made no attempt to escape. Her long, black hair fell over the sides of the altar, only the rise and fall of her chest indicating life. The eunuchs gathered in a semicircle around one side of the altar, facing Judith. And they began to moan._

Ebony awoke with a start, sweat pouring from her body. Who had interrupted her? She clapped her hands and composed herself as two slaves appeared to bathe her. Her jaw was steady, her eyes showed no emotion as they cleansed her from head to toe.

She knew who'd interrupted her. Who it _had_ to be.

After all, John Tracy _must_ be awake by now.

9:41:02

Scott brought his 'bird to cruising altitude but this time didn't settle back into his pilot's chair as he normally did.

Goddammit.

Two years ago, all that death and destruction and now? It was happening all over again. He had that feeling in the pit of his stomach. Like the world was about to drop out from under him again. Out from under all of them.

_I can't lose John. I can't._

Scott's hands gripped the levers tighter and tighter until his knuckles were white with the effort.

_Fly faster, girl,_ he thought as he inched a little more juice out of his rocket plane. _John and Penny...and Dad...their lives might depend on it._

His body remained rigid.

9:42:58

Ebony relaxed in the bath as many hands washed her body. Inevitably, her mind went back...back...

_It sounded like a song, low and mournful to her ears. Their eyes were closed, their hands folded palm-to-palm in front of their faces. She jerked in surprise, the chains of her shackles clanking as the torches suddenly flared, burning brighter than they had before. Her breath caught in her throat as a long shadow fell across the altar. Looking to the left, she saw a long hall, and watched as the shadow grew larger and larger._

_Until a man appeared. He was large. Larger than any man she'd ever seen. His feet were bare, his body unclothed save for legs clad in black that seemed to cling to every muscle. His head was bald, his eyes glinting ferociously in the iridescent light. He looked to his right...directly at her._

_Never before had she felt what emanated from him. He walked slowly in her direction; his movements supple and calculated, as though every step was choreographed, every scene rehearsed. Her breath came quickly as his very presence overwhelmed her. His aura demanded respect, his face commanded attention. She could not look away, her mind forgetting her own name, forgetting her past, forgetting what made her Judith Baker. She had no beginning. No end. Now she was only flesh and blood, every nerve on fire, heat searing through her skin as each step brought him nearer. Nearer._

9:45:16

The plane landed sure and steady; a far cry from the actual state of its pilot. He hid that state of mind well as he took in his surroundings. The old disused air strip was no more than thirty feet from the edge of Yorkshire Dales National Park, a large preserve in the middle of the island known as England.

He'd seen nothing out of the ordinary from the air. Circling the expanse of forest, he could only hope that somehow Penelope would be hiding out, waiting for him, for the sound of his jets as he flew overhead, for the sound of the tires squealing as they hit the rugged pavement.

It had been years since Safe House 34 had been needed, but it would've been kept in tip-top condition nonetheless, he mused. Opening the hatch, Jeff turned and reached back behind the cockpit seats, keying open a small panel. It flipped outward to reveal a machine pistol. He loaded it, stuffed it into his waistband and lifted his watch to his face.

"This is Jeff Tracy calling International Rescue."

"Receiving you, Father," came Virgil's strained voice.

"Virgil, I've just landed outside Yorkshire Dales, Air Strip 2-H. Everything seems to be pretty quiet. I'm going to head toward the safe house."

"F.A.B. Should I notify Scott?"

"Yes. Tell him to land just behind the jet. What's his ETA?"

"ETA Thunderbird One now 28.2 minutes."

"F.A.B. Tell him to go silent upon arrival. I'm setting my comm to vibrate. Have you or the others come up with anything on Ebony?"

"Not yet, Father. We're all buried in old files, web searches and calling anyone we know. Agent 12 is on stand-by to assist."

"12, huh? Nishan Ohanessian. He just set up here in England, didn't he?"

"Yes, Father. He's been there about four months now, he said, but he's quite familiar with his grid."

"All right. I'll keep that in mind. Jeff Tracy out."

Jeff scanned the area around his jet one more time before disembarking and locking it down. Hand on the butt of his pistol, he headed for an old ramshackle shed on the runway's eastern edge. It took a few minutes to open the door and check out the vehicle inside, but soon he was in the dark green Land Rover and on his way to find...

_Find what? Death? Life?_

Not the point now, Jeff. Keep your eyes open and your ears to the ground. Check the radar. He looked at his watch, which had switched to radar mode. There didn't seem to be a soul in the area.

That's what worried him.

9:59:58

9:59:59

10:00:00


	3. Hour Three

**Warning: **Sexual content.

* * *

><p><strong>Hour Three<strong>

_The following takes place between 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m._

10:01:37

She couldn't keep it out of her head. As she walked in silence, it played out before her unbidden.

_She opened her eyes to find herself lying on a bed that was impossibly soft. Covered in velvet the color of blood, it melded to her form as slowly she came back to the here and now, though if asked she could not articulate what exactly that was with any sort of clarity._

_"Master," she whispered, her eyes opening to find his staring into them. "My master."_

_"Yes," he breathed, hot against her face._

_And then he pressed into her. Her body tensed as the spindle inside her twisted tighter, and tighter._

_Feel me._

_Inside her mind. Inside her everywhere._

_Feel me._

_"Yes."_

_His mouth covered hers, devouring, taking without asking. Owning. She could not stop what surged within, could not stop wanting him inside her, silently begging him to take her once and for always. His tongue moved everywhere over her tongue and teeth, as the kiss deepened. She felt something give as the spring uncoiled, releasing her essence, everything she was. It was as though his mouth was pulling it from hers, pulling it up through her body from its sacred cherished seat within her soul._

_And willingly she let it go._

_He sucked it into him, just like he sucked her into his eyes, like his aural glow sucked her body into his. When he slipped into her, she cried out at the intrusion._

_Open your eyes._

_Her eyes slowly opened. He was boring into her, his mind becoming part of hers, every thought and every feeling taken into him. No secrets. Nowhere to hide. He knew it all. Knew it all. Knew her. What she had hidden, what she had never told to another. He had been there with her always, she knew, always from the time she was a child. He was her worst nightmare, her greatest fear and her deepest desire all in one fantastic, frightening, evil man._

_God, how she wanted him._

_He moved then, pulling almost completely out of her before slamming back in. His arms held her tightly, as though trying to make their bodies become one as their minds had already joined._

_"Yes," she whispered as his teeth found her neck, biting and sucking, then soothing with his tongue before moving to the next bit. Covering her painfully, agonizingly slow, with a mouth that seemed far too hot to be real, far too real to be just a dream._

_You want me._

_"Yes," she answered, her body rising to meet his as thrust after thrust impaled her. Over and over he moved so fast, so fast, electrical energy building at this point of contact, building a white-hot bluish glow around them, so bright she could no longer see except for the blackness of his eyes._

_Pools. Liquid._

_Slam, move out, thrust, pull back._

_Say you want me._

_"I...I..." she gasped. Her breath was nearly gone; she couldn't stop the crackling energy from stealing every motor function. She could barely move, her arms wound around his back seemed made of wood as she clung to him, clung to the last thread of life itself._

_Say it, orang yg sangat dikasihi saya._

_Once again she felt herself rise. The velvet no longer at her back. She wrapped her legs around him, deepening their contact as his hand moved around behind her head, tangling in her long, black hair. His mouth claimed hers, a fevered kiss borne of claiming that which one desires. She held him as he continued pumping into her, as they rolled over and over in the air above the bed. Above them, a canopy of blood-red velvet as her head lolled back, sweat dripping from them both._

_"Master..." she whispered between whimpers._

_Dikasihi._

_"Say it!" he growled, slamming into her before ceasing all movement._

_She opened her eyes. He was, as always, there before her. She fell into them, those darkest irises contracting into cat's eyes, red-gold slits of light glinting in some unseen fire that seemed to burn behind them. And once again, as though possession had not been done before, he consumed her, wrapped himself around her like a cloak, hiding her within himself. She was his._

_"I want you," she whispered as his teeth pressed into the flesh of her neck. "I want you."_

_The sound that came forth was like a snarl as he moved inside her slowly, slowly, building the heat, building the friction, the electricity crackling around them, bluish light morphing to black and then red, surrounding them like a bubble as they moved, one unit, one person...one last evil deed performed._

_The sensation became too much, every nerve on alert, body convulsing beneath his as she felt his release. She cried out in agony. What had been pleasurable was now sheer torture. She screamed again._

_"Forever!"_

10:13:04

The loud banging of the door and the ensuing bright lights were almost more than he could handle. He just couldn't stop shivering. Cold. So cold.

"Who are you?"

"Now, John, we must not use our voices." _Think it, John. Think it._

There it was again. That voice. He heard her and...he _heard_ her. Inside his mind. Once again his eyelids were forced open. Once again her black eyes looked into his. The colors. There they were. Comforting, like an old friend he'd just met. A friend who _felt_ familiar, but...different. New.

_That's right, John. I'm your friend. Remember me? I'm Ebony. I saved your life._

God, he could hear her inside his mind just as clearly as if her mouth spoke the words!

_What is this? You saved my life? But you have me chained!_ his mind cried as he wrenched his arms and legs against the shackles.

The hands moved away from his eyes, which had adjusted now to the lights overhead. He could only stare in disbelief as a flick of her wrist sent the chains unraveling. With no more effort than that, he was freed.

He sat up on what looked to be a stone table of some sort, and hugged his knees to his chest, effectively hiding his manhood and giving him some semblance of control over the situation.

"What do you mean, you saved my life?"

Another flick of her wrist and he felt a searing heat start at the base of his spine and move rapidly toward his neck. He howled, modesty forgotten as he dropped back down and writhed on the table in agony.

_You will speak to me in this manner or you will be punished. Come, John. I don't wish to harm you. Do as I tell you and the pain will stop._

He yelled in fright and confusion before crying out in his mind, _Okay, I won't talk! Just please stop! Stop it!_

And just like that, the pain was gone. Sweat cooled his skin, and he began shivering again in earnest as he dragged himself back up into a sitting position, legs dangling over the side. He felt weak. So weak. And why did his lungs hurt so badly?

_Tell me how you saved my life,_ he thought, unwilling to look her in the eye.

_I will, but first you must be cleansed of the outside world. When the Cleansing Ritual is complete, we shall begin._

"Begin what? Who the _hell_ are you?"

Too late he realized his mistake as the pain returned, starting again at the base of his spine and rocketing upwards, this time all the way into his head.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaa! Make it stop! Please! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

_You need only think it so._

Panting, John fell off the table to the stone floor below, scraping knees and legs and arms as he went.

_Make it stop, please! Ebony, make it stop!_

Just the mental utterance of her name brought it all back.

_In the plane...he remembered her. There were huge men surrounding him. A large, rectangular tank stood in front of him. Roughly he was stripped naked. He fought...he tried to fight, but...something...her. Ebony. Her eyes. That was it, her eyes! Somehow, he couldn't move._

_The pain...behind his eyes...it overwhelmed him. He couldn't...it wouldn't stop. He could barely see. He was led forward and felt himself stepping on something hard. A glass surface. He heard something close, and then a vacuum sound, as though something were being sealed._

_It wasn't until he heard the water start to come in that he realized what was happening._

_"No!" he'd cried, fighting the pain behind his eyes, pounding his fists against the glass walls. He could barely see around the colors, but the men watched and some laughed as the tank filled. Slowly. So slowly. Torture, waiting for it to fill. Slowly up his shins. Past his knees. Over his calves to his hips. The water was cold. So, so cold. His teeth chattered as he begged for help, begged them to let him out._

_It rose to his navel. His chest. His armpits. It was at his neck and suddenly he felt something against his leg. He tried to get a look, but the tank was too narrow to see around his own body. It slithered past his skin and his shivering turned from one of cold to one of fright._

_And then it got him. Electric eel._

_John Tracy screamed and for just a moment, his world went black._

_He regained his senses. Wide-eyed, John yelled at the brutes who pointed and laughed. He screamed for the woman he'd seen to save him. Suddenly there she was, in his line of sight at last. The water rose to his chin as the eel slithered up his back, then down past his ass and around his legs. He was terrified. Would it strike again?_

_"Help me! Please!"_

_Her eyes held his and suddenly words stopped coming. He couldn't even remember what he'd been saying. The eel's painful touch was forgotten. The water rose past his mouth. He held his breath instinctively as water filled his nostrils and moved up past his eyes. It was clear. He could still see her._

_Take a breath, John._

_He shook his head slightly. Surely she couldn't be telling him to breathe underwater!_

_It covered his head now. He was fully immersed. His arms and legs started going numb. He couldn't even feel his midsection. He blinked as the bubbles escaping his nose and mouth slipped past his eyes, some catching on his long eyelashes._

_Breathe, John. You won't die. I won't let you die. Breathe._

_And somehow, he believed her._

He choked on invisible water as his mind reacted to the sensation of lungs filling with water. Oxygen, he needed oxygen! His world spun out of control as he coughed and choked, seeing it in his mind, Ebony as the last person he would ever look at before he died.

But then, suddenly, he'd found himself...here.

_I'm not drowning._

She knelt beside him on the floor. _Come. Let yourself be cleansed, John. No more questions. Clear your mind._

She rose and helped him to his feet. He could only gaze upon her face in childlike wonder, his mind held by the strange power she seemed to have over him. And, as a child, he allowed himself to be led away.

Ebony smiled.

10:34:16

"Thunderbird One to Base and Thunderbird 5. Estimate arrival at Airstrip 2-H in three minutes."

"F.A.B. Contact Dad as soon as you're down. He should already be pretty close to the safe house."

"Alan, any signs of life out here?"

"Other than Dad? No. Not a thing moving. I've got Dad's GPS on radar. He's just turned onto Hunters Croft. It should only take him about five minutes to get to the end of the road."

"F.A.B., Alan. Continue monitoring, double up on me, and keep your eyes open for anything. I don't want to be walking into an ambush."

"F.A.B., Scott."

"Virgil, I want everyone on standby. This could get ugly."

"F.A.B. Base out."

Scott checked his gauges as Thunderbird One made a perfect landing just behind Tracy Twelve. He grabbed a few extra charges for his laser pistol and exited Thunderbird One, turning slowly to check the perimeter. He tapped a small button on the left side of the watch he wore on his wrist, then waited, then tapped it again. Heading for a hatch in the belly of his plane, Scott soon had it open and had removed his hover bike. Finally, his father appeared in the watch face.

"Scott, where are you?"

"I've just landed and am on the bike. Alan's given me your position, should I proceed?"

"Yes, and make it snappy. I haven't seen a single sign of life out here, not even an animal."

"That's odd."

"Exactly."

"I should catch up to you in just a few minutes, Dad. Hold off before entering. You don't know what's waiting for you."

There was a moment's silence before Jeff finally replied, "F.A.B."

Scott was more than just a little surprised. He'd given his father an order...and his father had obeyed it? Maybe he was just deferring to Scott as International Rescue's Field Commander.

Or maybe Jeff Tracy's gut was giving him a warning he wasn't about to ignore.

10:39:00

_Oh, God, where am I? What's happened?_

Her surroundings were dark.

Bump-bump.

She was moving. And lying on her back in...whatever it was she was in. Her hands were tied behind her at her waist, having fallen asleep along with her arms from the force of her weight pressing down.

_My legs are tied together as well._

Obviously, not an optimal situation.

She tuned her trained ears into the environment around her. She could hear the hum of wheels on the pavement, feel the acceleration of her temporary tomb.

_I must be in the boot of a car._

_Trunk, Penny,_ Jeff would have playfully reminded her. _Trunk._

_Oh, trunk...boot...you Americans and your improper use of Queen's English._

_We don't speak Queen's English, Penny. We speak __**American**__ English._

_Oh, yes, I forgot. __**So**__ distasteful._

She grinned as the memory returned, so vivid and powerful she could almost believe Jeff was by her side in this moment, preparing to move in for the kill, as it were.

But Jeff was not with her. A bit of scooting about had indicated her supposition of being in the boot was correct, and that it was rather small. And that she was its only occupant.

_Sir Jeremy!_

Tears sprang to her eyes. First Parker, and then Jeremy. Bless them both, they had been saints. And brave, brave men. Never shying away from their self-imposed duties, different though they may have been. Parker...always loyal, always true. Jeremy...at a moment's notice by her side.

Penny wondered if Jeremy had had any idea whatsoever that this time he was coming to his death.

A tear trickled from her eye, followed by another and another. She worked at the rope binding her hands, but it was tied tightly and knotted well.

John, dragged into the cargo plane.

Parker, holes blasted into his chest over and over again.

Penny, turning to run. Run like a coward.

_Run, Penny!_ John had shouted, struggling against his captors. _Run!_

She realized that unless she heeded his words, she, too would have been either dead or kidnapped.

Then why did she feel such an overwhelming sense of guilt?

And then to have invited Sir Jeremy to his death, too? Lady of Death seemed appropriate for her name just now. Was John still alive?

Sir Jeremy...fighting...pulling out his sword, hidden in the umbrella he carried.

But fencing was a sport for the rich, for those who really didn't mean to hurt their opponent. Within minutes, Jeremy fell, his own sword used to slit his throat.

She could feel the dried blood on her hands. She'd tried to save him. She'd _tried_. This time she hadn't run, but had stayed, pressing her hands against his neck, trying desperately to keep the blood from spurting out.

It covered her chest and legs as Jeremy's eyes pleaded with her. Pleaded for what, exactly, she did not know.

And then she'd been grabbed. A cloth had covered her face and...she'd awakened here. In the boot. In the trunk.

_Jeff..._

The tears began anew.

10:47:44

For the most part, things were quiet on Tracy Island. You'd hear the occasional beeps and blips of computers as they returned information to the humans searching for it. You might even hear the pencil Tin-Tin was tapping on the tabletop as she studied an old newspaper, or the rumbling of Gordon's stomach, telling how he'd missed breakfast.

That was the odd thing about it, though. It was way _too_ quiet for an ordinary day. But, of course, this day had become anything _but_ ordinary, Virgil thought as he looked around the Lounge. Only Tin-Tin and Kyrano were there, having been designated to pull the musty, dusty boxes of old papers out of the storage room. It was their job to find anything that might help Jeff, John and Penny.

Virgil was also searching on the computer at his father's desk, but kept looking up at the portraits expecting to hear a signal from John. He'd tried in vain to raise him via his watch communicator more times than he could count. John didn't answer. He also tried Penny. Again, there'd been nothing.

It had been years since any of them had been out of communication with the other thanks to the watches they all wore. They were never more than a heartbeat away from knowing what was up. Until now.

He glanced up at the row of portraits again. First Penny's, off to the left, apart from the others. He couldn't help but smile as he recalled the first time Jeff and Penny had made it clear they were an "item."

It had been one year after that awful day Washington, D.C. had been destroyed. Virg and his brothers were well aware that a relationship had been blossoming, however secret Dad and Penny had tried to keep it. But it wasn't until they were gathered 'round the television one Sunday morning watching NTBS that they realized just _how_ close the two were.

Because Tracy Corporation had given so much money to help begin rebuilding the nation's capitol, Jeff had been invited to a ceremony in D.C. to unveil the newly built White House by the U.S. president himself. He had, of course, taken Penelope along, and after giving a good speech about working together as a united front to face this tragedy and becoming stronger from it, he retreated to join Penny.

And that's when it happened.

Their eyes followed their father as he walked to the back of the stage. His arm wrapped around her, she looked up at him...and they kissed. Right there on worldwide television, directly behind the president of the United States, Jeff Tracy and Penelope Creighton-Ward landed what the press had called "The Smooch Heard 'Round the World."

Rather embarrassing for their father, but funny as hell to his sons.

Virgil held his chuckle in as he recalled the razzing they'd given Jeff upon their return to the island. That's when he and Penny finally admitted that they were in love and definitely together. Well, it's not like it was a secret anyway, what with that "smooch." What were they going to do? Deny it? That would've been like trying to tell the family their names weren't Penny and Jeff.

Virgil's half-smile turned into a full-out frown. _He lost Mom. He can't lose Penny, too. He just can't!_

And then there was John. John, who had never been particularly close to Virgil, but was his brother and sometime confidante nonetheless. Virgil loved him as much as he loved anyone. They were all a pretty tight-knit bunch regardless who might've been favored over whom. Everyone knew it was Scott and Virg joined at the hip, and that Gordon and Alan were always co-conspirators.

John had always sort of been the lone wolf, much like their father. That's probably why the two had spent so much time together since International Rescue's formation. More than once, during John's tours of duty aboard Thunderbird 5, Virgil had wandered into the Lounge to find Jeff having philosophical discussions with his middle son. Discussions that, at 2 and 3 in the morning, were way beyond Virgil's ability to absorb.

They also spent time together doing things like fishing or going over things in the lab, and even heading off to the place atop the island's mountain where John had a powerful telescope set up. It had never before occurred to Virgil to wonder what they talked about for all those hours on end, but now he _did_ wonder. As close as John and Jeff were, what this must be doing to his father...well, Virgil could well imagine. He himself was at his wits' end. Just sitting there in command of Base was not Virgil's cup of tea. All he wanted to do was fire up his beautiful green baby and rescue Penny and John.

Which, of course, would have been impossible at this point given that no one knew where they were.

He began to feel resentment slow-boil into anger. Who was this bitch Ebony and what in the hell did she want with John? They were working off the premise that that she was responsible for both John's and then Penny's kidnapping.

Suddenly his eyes widened.

_Wait just one damn minute._

It didn't make any sense.

_If Ebony __**is**__ responsible for both kidnappings..._

It couldn't be.

_Then why didn't she take John and Penny at the same time earlier that morning?_

They were, after all, together. John was going to attend the opening of a new observatory on the Isle of Muck off the western coast of England, which Penelope had, in part, helped fund. But neither of them would be attending unless they were found, and soon.

_But if they were there together in one place at one time...why take John and then wait an hour to take Penny?_

Unless...

Virgil slammed his fist down on the console in front of him. "Base to Scott. Come in, Scott! _Now!_"

10:58:22

Scott didn't dare slow the hover bike when his watch beeped. Instead, he steered with one hand while bringing the watch closer to his face.

"Yeah, Virg, I'm here, but I'm kinda busy. What is it?"

"Scott, you have to stop and listen to me."

Scott took one look at Virgil's face and the hover bike screamed to a halt. "Talk."

"John was taken first. Parker was killed when John was kidnapped."

"Right."

"Penelope was right there when it happened."

"So we're assuming." Scott was impatient to reach his father. "What's your point?"

"Why did Ebony wait until an hour later to kidnap Penelope, which meant she had to find Penny again after she'd just had her right there with John not an hour before?"

The color drained from Scott's face as he stared into Virgil's eyes. "What are you getting at?" he asked, even though he had an idea.

"What if Ebony's not behind Penny's disappearance, Scott? What if she's only behind John's?"

"But what...I mean, who...oh, my God." Scott started the hover bike up again and began to speed toward his destination. "Virg, if you...if you're right, that means...we don't just have one kidnapper to deal with."

"No," Virg replied solemnly. "We have two."

10:59:58

10:59:59

11:00:00


	4. Hour Four

****Warning: ****Sexual content.

* * *

><p><strong>Hour Four<strong>

_The following takes place between 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m._

11:00:53

John had never seen anything that strange in all his life. The Cleansing Ritual, Ebony had called it. It seemed like a perfectly normal occurrence to everyone else present. It looked like Ebony was in charge of things in this strange place with a large chasm in the center and no ceiling overhead. There was a man, shorter than Ebony with a Chinese look to him. And there were others as well, big Asian-looking men standing on either side of the chasm completely naked.

Well, at least that made John feel better about being in his own birthday suit during the whole thing.

He'd been cleansed in a large, wooden tub of cold water. His hair, washed. His body, washed. He'd stared at the women washing him, but not one of them ever looked him in the eye. They were all attractive and young, he noted. They had dried his body with their hair. Something he didn't think had ever been done to him before, though he was definitely having trouble remembering.

Ebony stood in what he could only describe as an all-black catsuit. It hugged every curve and for the first time he was afforded the opportunity to gape openly at her supple movements, very much cat-like themselves. For indeed she was a beautiful woman. She had large, doe-like eyes and smooth, dark skin. He had seen her hair in three different styles by now, but this look with the hair hanging straight down behind her to her ass was the most becoming yet, he thought.

She spoke in a language he didn't recognize as the ritual continued. He couldn't even determine what region the language might be from. That bothered him for some reason, but it fled his mind as she turned to face him, her hands slick with scented oil. When she touched him, he gasped at the tingling sensation, as though the oil were somehow setting his skin on fire, bringing every nerve ending to life.

Her movements were slow, methodical. She knew _exactly_ what she was doing.

And John's body betrayed him.

He wondered why it didn't bother him that she had aroused him here in this place with all these people around. Then she touched him, hands slick with more oil, and coherent thought fled. Every inch of him burned with need. But he couldn't move. He could only stand there staring at her face through the mist in his eyes as she pumped him over and over, saying something so quietly he could barely hear her over the blood rushing in his ears.

It had been so long since someone had touched him...

Again, something niggled at the back of his brain. That somehow, for some reason, this whole thing was wrong. That he didn't belong here. That Ebony should not be touching him.

But then it came. His orgasm hit and he exploded like a firecracker, a great cry shooting up through the open roof into the night...

...shattering the silence of the jungle.

11:10:05

Scott partially hid the hover bike behind a grove of trees, crouching beside it. He could see the safe house at the end of Hunters Croft, but his father was nowhere in sight. He signaled him through the watch. Within moments, his father's face appeared.

"Scott, where are you?" he whispered.

"Behind some trees about thirty feet from the house."

"Stand by."

Scott soon heard some rustling across the street. He looked, and his father darted over to crouch next to him. "Dad," Scott breathed. "I'm glad you're okay."

Jeff's responding smile soon disappeared. "Son? What is it?"

"Well, Virg came up with an idea, Dad. A bad one."

"A bad idea?" Jeff was clearly confused.

"Dad, what exactly did Penelope tell you when you talked to her on the phone?"

He thought for a moment. "She said that Parker was dead and that they took John."

"So she was right there when it happened."

"She must've been. Why?"

"Dad, doesn't it strike you as odd that this Ebony character would raise hell to kidnap John but leave Penny behind, only to track her down an hour later, raise more hell and kidnap her?"

The wheels of Jeff's mind were clearly turning. Scott could almost see the instant the light bulb went off over his head. "So Virgil thinks Ebony kidnapped John but not Penny."

It wasn't a question. Scott knew his father already believed it.

"But who would take her?" he asked. "If Ebony is trying to get at us using John, why would someone else take Penny so soon afterwards? It's got to be more than a coincidence."

"Well, you guys did sort of broadcast your relationship to the world. It could be someone's grabbed her to get money from you. Any crazy on the street who watches TV or reads the news on line would know of the Creighton-Ward/Tracy connection. The timing _could_ just be a coincidence."

Jeff's mouth opened but no sound would emerge.

Scott took the opportunity to scan his surroundings. To the naked eye, everything seemed quiet and in order. "I should take the lead on this, check out the house. See if I can find Sir Jeremy."

"Already done. He's in the living room. He's dead."

Jeff rose to his full height, his son following suit.

"Dad, you were _supposed_ to wait for me!"

Jeff looked up into his son's eyes. Scott couldn't remember ever seeing that much anguish reflected back at him. Not since...

"I couldn't wait, Scott. I had to know if she was here. If she was...dead."

Scott swallowed hard. "You didn't find her?"

Jeff shook his head. "I...I have to find her, Scott. She's more than what you boys think. More than just my girlfriend or my lover."

Scott stared at him in confusion. Jeff's eyes fell to the ground.

"She's my wife."

11:19:32

"You mean you really think someone besides this Ebony has Penny?"

"Yeah, Gordon, I do. And Scott agrees. I'm sure by now he's told Dad. I want us to have something..._any_thing...by the time they call in."

"But Virg," Alan complained from his video portrait, "we don't have a damn thing to go on where John's concerned, other than a woman named Ebony, and if your theory's right, absolutely _nothing_ where Penny is concerned. What the hell are we supposed to—?"

Alan darted away from the monitor as all eyes turned to where his empty chair now sat.

"Alan?" Virgil rose to his feet, hands resting on the desk in front of him. "Alan, what is it?"

"Hang on!" was his hollered reply.

"Virg?"

"What, Gordon?"

"I don't want to just sit here anymore. I _can't_. Virg, we have to go..._do_."

"And what, you think that I _do_ want to just sit here?" Virgil's temper flared. "If there was something to do, _I'd_ be doing it!"

"Hang on, guys," Alan said excitedly as he reappeared on-camera. "I think you may just be getting your wish."

"What?" Gordon and Virgil asked at the same time.

"I just picked up a transmission," Alan explained as he frantically punched something into the keyboard in front of him. "Someone mentioned Penny by name. I'm having 5 pinpoint the source as we speak."

Virgil sprinted around the corner of the desk, his back to his painting so fast it took a moment for the others to figure out where he was. "Gordon, Tin-Tin, you're with me. Kyrano? Think you can handle the web searches?"

Kyrano nodded.

"Grandma, take over with the papers. Alan, you're in charge of Base, initiate remote access. And give me whatever you have as soon as I've launched."

"F.A.B., 5 out."

While Gordon and Tin-Tin ran for the passenger elevator in the hall, Virgil upended into the chute that would lead him to Thunderbird 2.

At _last_! Something for him to _do_!

11:27:27

The ride back to Thunderbird One was silent. Unspoken questions hung in the air between Jeff and his eldest son like a tangible thing Jeff was wont to swat away. Scott's look of surprise was understandable. His look of sympathy, testament to the big heart thumping beneath a hero's chest. But his look of betrayal was something Jeff wasn't prepared for. And now, he didn't know how to respond.

They arrived at the great silver rocket plane and Jeff mulled over the fact that there hadn't been a single clue anywhere in the vicinity of the safe house to help them try to identify Penelope's kidnappers. Not a scrap of fabric or a dropped cigarette butt...nothing. Scott's voice, terse and disbelieving, broke him from his reverie.

"How could you not tell us we had a stepmother?"

Jeff watched as his son stowed the hover bike in One's hold. "We...given all the hoopla surrounding what we did on international television, we figured getting married would just bring way too much of a spotlight on International Rescue. On _all_ of you."

"Bullshit."

Jeff started, his own anger beginning to rise. "What did you just say to me?"

"Dad, you and Penny didn't think a goddamned thing of kissing in front of a television camera. Why the hell would a quiet ceremony on the island have brought more of a spectacle to our lives than you two had already created?"

"I don't have to explain my actions to you, Scott. Not where my personal life is concerned."

"Goddammit, Dad, this isn't just about _you_!" Scott retorted, slamming One's hatch closed with a bang. "Just because it's your personal life doesn't mean it doesn't affect your family! I mean, look at this!" He waved his arms around, indicating the current situation. "_This_ is all happening because of—"

Both their watches beeped, cutting Scott off in mid-sentence.

"Thunderbird One here," he ground out, turning away from his father.

"Scott! It's Alan! I think I may have something on Penny!"

Jeff rushed to his son's side and peered around to the watch face. "What about her, Alan?"

"5 picked up a transmission where those involved said her name. I've got the location pinpointed within a twenty square mile area. Virg, Tin-Tin and Gordo are already on their way in 2."

"Good work, Al. What did they talk about, whoever was in the transmission?"

"It was two men and they were speaking Malay."

"Malay?" Jeff repeated in astonishment.

"Yes. I got it translated with Kyrano's help, though I'm not entirely certain how accurate it is..."

"Alan, just give it to us!" Scott ordered.

Alan turned slightly to look at a different monitor and read back what he'd figured out. "Lady Creighton-Ward is en route. The car will be there in fifteen minutes. Make sure they weren't followed."

"That was it?"

"Yes," Alan nodded. "The transmission was coming from somewhere around Chop Gate right there in the UK, in the vicinity of the B1257."

"Wait a minute," Jeff interrupted, his voice deathly quiet. "Chop Gate?"

"Yes, Father."

"Dad?" Scott turned to face him. "What is it?"

"We..." Jeff looked at Alan. "Nothing. Nothing, I just thought I recognized that name. I guess not."

Alan shrugged like it made no difference, but Scott's lips pressed into a thin line. Their father was hiding something. He could _feel_ it.

"Alan, I want you to keep monitoring, and send Agent 12 to the area you've outlined. How far out is Thunderbird Two?"

"ETA of Thunderbird Two now one hour, forty minutes. Virgil and the others have been briefed."

"F.A.B. Scott out." He whirled on his father. "What is it you didn't want to say in front of Alan?" Jeff ran a hand down his face. Was Scott mistaken, or did his dad's eyes seem to be glistening? "Dad? Come on, I _know_ you know something. What is it about Chop Gate?"

"About a week after we were married," Jeff began, not knowing quite what to do with his hands, "Penny and I decided to just go driving around the countryside. You know, take in the sights, spend some time together." Jeff hesitated.

_This feels so awkward. Why can't I talk to my own son about my wife?_

Jeff swallowed the lump in his throat.

_Because it's not his mother I'm talking about anymore._

He looked up. Scott nodded, encouraging him to continue. Jeff let the air whoosh out of his lungs. "We stopped at a small eatery in Chop Gate," he finally said. "It's in the North York Moors National Park. After we ate dinner, we decided to keep going. One of the locals there at the eatery had told us about the River Seph not too far south. He said it was quite sight to see at sunset because of the unusual color of the river's water." Jeff shrugged. "We decided to give it a go."

Scott would've considered the gesture romantic had they not been in the middle of a fiasco just now. "And?" he prompted.

"Well, I guess we didn't really think much of it at the time, but we arrived at the river well before sundown. So we decided to hike around, check out the woods. That area is known for its native wildlife. We saw a lot, too." He stopped, running a hand through his salt-and-pepper hair which seemed now to have much more salt than pepper.

"There were a couple of times we thought we heard someone behind us, as though we were being followed. But both times, we were able to attribute the sounds to an animal. The first time it was a big 15-point buck. The second, a doe with her fawn. We, uh..." His face flushed crimson as he looked away, shifting back and forth from one foot to the other.

Scott just looked at his dad. His chest heaved and he hacked out a stifled cough as his father turned away. "You didn't!"

"Well, it's not like we're teenagers, for God's sake." Jeff's face was now the color of Tin-Tin's Ladybird plane and Scott nearly hurt himself trying not to laugh, partially because of his own discomfort, but partially because it was funny as hell to be having this type of conversation with his _father_.

"You mean I was right? You guys..." He ended with a wave of his hands, thoroughly enjoying his father's discomfort. How many times had Jeff grilled _him_ like that when he was in high school? And he'd been _merciless_.

"Scott Jefferson Tracy!"

_Whoops. Game time's over._

Scott cleared his throat, his face becoming a mask of stone.

Jeff glared at him as if he dared his eldest to take it any further. When it appeared Scott wouldn't be doing so, he continued. "Later we watched the sun set over the moor. Just like the man in Chop Gate had said, it was breathtaking."

_**She**_ _was breathtaking._

"There's something else."

"Well, it was just one of those feelings, you know?" Jeff replied, dragging his mind back to the present.

"Were you followed?"

"I...we couldn't be sure. Besides, we were so...you know..."

Well, no, truthfully, Scott _didn't_ know. But he could easily guess. "It's okay, Dad. I understand."

"You do?" Jeff blinked. "But a minute ago you wanted to sock me."

Scott half-grinned. "Dad, I didn't want to sock you. Yell at you, maybe, yes. But not sock you."

Jeff eyed his son and was suddenly consumed with pride over the man he was. Jeff knew he wasn't altogether responsible for who Scott Tracy had become, but he was his oldest boy, and as such he couldn't help it.

"I'm sorry, Scott. Really, I am." Jeff turned his face up toward Thunderbird One.

"Let's go find her, Father."

Jeff smiled. "Yes. Let's go."

As they boarded One through a hatch in her belly, neither Tracy noticed they were no longer alone.

11:41:08

Ebony walked into the room and shooed the female servant away. Left alone with the silence of her own thoughts, she reflected upon how well things were going – how easily John succumbed to her power. She hadn't been certain how well she'd be able to control him, but it had turned out to be almost a non-issue. He found her fascinating...at least, he did when she had control over his mind. And it was so easy, too. He barely resisted. It amazed Ebony that most people never even _tried_ to make their minds stronger. She reasoned she could probably overtake the minds of 90 of Earth's population if given the chance.

But of course, she wouldn't be given the chance, because once her goal was reached...once she finished doing what she'd set out to do...her master would be back. And you never, _ever_ messed with _his_ agenda. Not unless you wanted to die.

A soft sound from the opposite side of the room startled her. She cursed herself for being so on edge. Smoothing her robes, Ebony seemed to glide across the bedroom until she reached her destination. She reached down and picked up a young child, cradling him in her arms.

"Hello," she said softly, gazing at him lovingly. "How are you?"

Suddenly the bundle moved. Before she knew it, two small arms were wrapped around her neck, and one excited word was heard.

"Mommy!"

11:46:49

They had stopped.

_What now?_

Voices spoke in a language she thought sounded vaguely familiar, but she couldn't quite place it. Her tears had long ago dried up, as she'd chided herself for behaving so foolishly. She may have lost both Parker and Sir Jeremy, but she still had a husband and stepson out there, one of which was most certainly bordering on frantic, the other...well, there was no way to tell if John were even alive, let alone how he was faring if he was. She could only hope he was well.

A sound from outside made her nearly stop breathing. She heard a button being pressed, followed by a small beeping sound. It kept beeping. And beeping. And beeping and beeping and beeping.

_Oh, my God._

The voices spoke again, but faded as though their owners were walking away from her position.

_...beep...beep...beep...beep..._

"A bomb," she whispered hoarsely. Her body tensed as the beeping continued. She began kicking at the lid of the boot with all her might. It was locked tight. She kicked harder, trying desperately to gather enough saliva to wet her throat. "Help me," she said, more of a loud whisper than anything else.

_...beep...beep...beep...beep..._

"Help me!" she said, a little bit louder.

poundpoundpound went her feet on the walls of her tiny prison.

"Help!"

_...beep...beep...beep...beep..._

11:50:11

"Come, Little One," Ebony purred as she carried her son out of his bedroom. They walked down a hall and into a large, cavernous room filled with statues made of precious stones and metals. The walls were lined with expensive original artwork, blood-red velvet draped along the walls and ceiling. To their left was a dais surrounded by water, eternal flames floating on golden saucers around and around something hidden from view by a multi-colored beaded curtain.

Ebony placed the child on the floor next to her. His skin was not nearly as dark as hers, and his eyes were smaller, but the resemblance was obvious to anyone who might've seen them together. "Your father taught me this only once," she said, raising her arms above her head. Bitterness filled her voice. "He was taken away before I could perfect my skills."

Slowly the beaded curtain before her parted, revealing the bronze statue of a man. "Let us see if we can contact your uncle, shall we, my son?"

The boy giggled in delight as his mother's eyes closed. He watched in adoration as she uttered but one word.

"Kyrano..."

11:57:38

_...beep...beep...beep...beep..._

"Blast!" Penny cursed, desperately twisting her arms behind her. She almost dislocated her shoulder and cried out in pain. Flipping to her side, she pulled her legs up and struggled to thread them through her arms, but it was nearly impossible given how cramped the space.

_...beep...beep...beep...beep..._

"Help me!" she yelled, somehow having found her full voice at last. "Please! Someone help!"

One last, great shove finally sent her legs through so that now her arms were in front of her. She banged desperately at the strong metal above her.

poundpoundpound

_Jeff, Jeff, where are you?_

She wrenched her hands askew to one another, trying to pull one of them out of the bindings.

_Please don't let me die here. Please. It's too soon. Please!_

"Help! Help me! There's a bomb! Please help me!"

The beeping grew faster. Louder. More insistent.

_It's about to go off. Oh, God, NO!_

"HELP!"

_...beep..._

11:59:58

_...beep..._

11:59:59

_...beep..._

12:00:00


	5. Hour Five

**Hour Five**

_The following takes place between 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m._

12:02:10

Kyrano sat quietly behind Jeff's desk looking through site after site after site on the internet. His current search had produced over ten thousand results, making it slow-going at best. But Kyrano was nothing if not a patient man. He had learned to be so after realizing at a rather early age that impatience only brought less-than-desirable results.

Ruth Tracy was mostly silent as well, seated on the sofa in the middle of the Lounge with boxes and newspapers stacked all around her. In fact, some of them were piled so high the tiny woman couldn't see over top of them to even know for certain that Kyrano was still in the room.

As such, she didn't notice his body stiffen suddenly.

His mouth dropped open, hands falling to his lap. Eyes no longer saw the computer screen in front of his face. The chair he was sitting in creaked slightly, but other than that, there was only silence.

_Kyrano..._

No. It can't be.

_Hear me, Kyrano._

You're dead!

_Listen to me. Hear me. See me._

Kyrano turned in the chair. He thought for a moment he saw something in the air. Rising to his feet, he reached out, then jerked his arm back as though he'd been electrocuted.

You are not my half-brother.

_No._

The air seemed to waver, as though something were _almost_ there. Like heat rising off the blacktop on a hot summer day, the air before him fairly shimmered.

_Kyrano, I come to you now. You must tell me._

Tell you what? I know you not.

A form seemed to solidify somewhat. He could see an apparition. Ghost-like in appearance, he could only tell that it was a tall, dark woman.

_Your brother taught me well. You __**will**__ tell me what you know._

No.

It stopped shimmering, coalescing into a solid shape. The woman wore a thick black cloak, a hood completely hiding her face from view.

_Do as I command!_

Something was next to her. No, not something...some_one_. It was...a child! A little boy.

Kyrano's heart flip-flopped. Something was wrong. Terribly, terribly wrong.

_Kyrano, tell me about Jeff Tracy._

Jeff Tracy?

_Where is he now? Where is he __**right**__ now?_

His breathing became shallow. Something's wrong. Something's wrong.

_Tell me what I wish to know!_

No!

The woman shook with barely concealed fury. Her arms came up and she whipped the hood away from her face. Kyrano gasped. He looked from her face to that of the child and back again. She reacted in much the same way, staring at Kyrano's face in disbelief.

"It cannot be," she whispered.

Their minds joined, traveling back to the past...to a time both remembered well...

_Rising to her feet, Judith went to stand in front of a full-length mirror on the other side of the room. She gasped in horror when she saw her right breast. Her fingers brushed lightly over a symbol she did not recognize. It looked like dragon serpent coiled and ready to strike, its beard and fangs almost moving with every breath she took._

_"What is this?" she whispered._

_She was startled when a man appeared at her side. Graying hair told of his age, but his weathered face was kind as he looked upon her flesh._

_"You have been marked."_

_"Marked?" she repeated, turning back to look at the tattoo-like picture. "By what?"_

_"By his primary demon," the man replied._

_"But why?"_

_"Because," he answered, casting his eyes to the floor, "you have told him you carry his child."_

_"What?" She looked around the room as though seeing it for the first time. "I...where am I?"_

_"You do not know?"_

_She shook her head, turning back to face him. She put her hand up, intending to touch his chest...but it sailed right through him, and she yelped._

_"I am not here. I am projecting to you," he said softly. "You are...his intended...are you not?"_

_Her brow knitted in confusion, she turned to look at herself in the mirror once more. "I..." she whispered, before turning back to look into his eyes. "I don't know."_

"You are she," Kyrano whispered. "His intended."

"Kyrano?" Ruth thought she'd heard him speak, but wasn't certain. When she received no response, she decided to stand and give her legs a stretch and check on him at the same time. She walked around a pile of boxes. "Kyrano?"

Ebony seethed, the memory returning anger to her mind a hundred-fold. Her lover. Her teacher. The man she had given everything to. Everything.

"Yes," she hissed. "I was his intended. But now he is gone. Because of _you_. Because of _them_!"

Suddenly, she filled his mind. She seemed to be everywhere, circling around him and through him. He couldn't stop her.

"And now," she intoned, "It is time to take my revenge."

Utter shock had made the mental walls he shielded himself with come tumbling down around him.

She was in.

_Now I shall see what I wish to know for myself._

No...

"Kyrano, what...?" Ruth stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the look on Kyrano's face. First it was blank...then his eyes squeezed shut. His face crumpled and he fell to the floor in a heap.

_Not again, not again!_ Ruth thought as she rushed to kneel next to her friend.

He cried out only once.

"Kyrano!"

12:13:48

"We're still too far away to be any good. I'm pushing her as fast as she can go."

"I know, Virg, I know. I'll begin a search of the area, moving inward in concentric circles. Alan, anything from Agent 12?"

"Yes, Scott. He's just reported in. He says he's pulled another agent in, someone who happened to be attending a forensics conference in Middlesbrough this week. You know her, actually."

Scott frowned. "_I_ know her?"

"Yes. Agent 113."

"113..." Scott repeated. The number should mean something to him. It was on the tip of his tongue.

"You might know her better as Dr. Megan Crawford."

Scott's eyes widened along with his mouth, which somehow seemed to form a perfectly round O. "Megan? Are you serious? She's _here_?"

"Sure is. She checked in with 12 when she got in two days ago. He thought we all might be able to use some help, so he picked her up before heading for the forest. They're on Clay Bank, they'd just entered the Park when they called in five minutes ago."

"Megan?" Scott repeated. "Here?"

Suddenly his mind filled with memories of her...how he thought she'd betrayed them when he caught her talking on the phone in the hospital's hall...how they'd been stuck in that supply closet and how she'd bitten him trying to free them...how she'd said she was glad to find out he and Virg were brothers. He had to smile at that one. To think, for a while she thought they were _lovers_!

But his smile faded as he remembered how she'd saved Kyrano's life in Thunderbird One as he'd raced toward the hospital...how she'd helped get Grandma out of Arlington Cemetery...when she'd fallen over the railing.

His heart started to pound. He'd almost lost her. His grip on her had almost given way. His breath came faster. Then the Hood had her in Thunderbird Two. He squeezed his eyes shut against the onslaught of emotion that threatened to return. Emotion he hadn't felt in a long while.

After all was said and done, Megan had returned to her job as a forensic pathologist in Iowa. She'd called a couple of times to check on Alan and everyone else. Once she'd talked only to Jeff and the other time it had been Virgil she'd caught. He'd tried to get Scott to talk to her, but hadn't been able to locate him until after Megan said she had to go.

And as far as Scott knew, that was the last direct contact any of them had had with her. He'd thought about her a lot in those first few months, as his family chewed over all that had happened in that twenty-four hour period of time. Slowly, though, she'd become a distant memory to him, a small twinge in his chest from time to time that he'd put out of his mind as soon as she entered it.

Until now.

"Scott?"

"Yes, Alan. Let 12 and 113 know what we're up to and instruct them to hit Chop Gate. Tell them to find a little eatery, and see if anyone remembers seeing Dad or Penny there about a year ago."

"What? You mean, they were _there_?"

"Yes, Alan. Just relay the message."

"Why don't you do it yourself? I can patch you through. It'd be easier to coordinate if you gave them the info yourself."

"Alan, relay the message and stop arguing with me! Thunderbird One out!"

From his seat below and to the left of his son, Jeff quietly cleared his throat. Scott sighed. "What, Dad?"

"You were, uh...a little harsh there, weren't you?"

"I'm Field Commander and he was arguing with my orders. That's intolerable, especially in a situation such as this."

"Are you sure that's why you got so mad at him?"

Scott opened his mouth to reply, then closed it again.

_Megan Crawford. She's here._

"Forget about it, Dad."

Jeff shook his head and returned to viewing the portable screen in front of him, where little blinking dots told of heat sources on the ground below. He had a feeling he knew exactly what had gotten under Scott's skin. And it wasn't his younger brother.

12:29:09

She stared in disbelief at the two people standing before her. The woman leaned forward and gave her a bottle of water. And suddenly, Penelope knew exactly who she was.

"Dr. Crawford?"

She flashed a wide grin. "Yes, Lady Penelope. I'm surprised you remember me! Pleasantly, I might add."

Penny managed a small smile, but the pain in her hands and legs from all the pounding had taken their toll and she grimaced.

"We need to get that taken care of," the man standing with Megan said kindly. He had a slight accent and seemed quite polite. "I am Agent 12, Lady Penelope. I wish we were meeting under better circumstances. Perhaps a trip to the hospital would be in order."

She shook her head. "No, thank you. I must contact Jeff most urgently."

"Jeff?" Megan repeated. "Jeff Tracy?"

"Yes," she nodded.

"I don't think that will be a problem. Nishan spoke to Alan just a little bit ago. Nishan, can you contact him again, please, and let him know we have Lady Penelope and that she's safe?"

Nishan, also known as Agent 12, nodded and headed for their vehicle.

"Lady Penelope," Megan said softly, kneeling next to the mussed and distraught woman on the ground. "Are you okay? You really do look like you could use a patching up."

She managed a smile. "Yes, I think I'll be fine. A few bumps and bruises, but other than that, nothing to worry about, I don't think." Megan helped her to her feet and kept a steadying hand on her back as Penelope struggled to regain her equilibrium. Her ears were _still_ ringing.

"I'm not altogether certain I can piece together what happened," Penny finally said after taking several long drinks from the bottle of water. "I heard the beeping of the timer, I was certain the bomb was going to go off, that I was going to die." She turned to face Megan. "How did you get me out?"

"Well, from what Nishan was saying, it wasn't an actual, complete bomb. It was more like something that was supposed to rough you up and scare the hell out of you."

"Then I believe its task was successful."

Megan patted her arm. "Do you have any idea who took you? Nishan and I aren't really in the loop here, but I gather that no one knew who had you or where you were."

"I've no idea who took me," Penelope replied, her face hardening into a mask of stone. "But I have lost two very good friends today, and I fully intend to discover who's at the heart of this mess."

Nishan came back and handed Penelope his cell phone. "Mr. Tracy for you, Ma'am."

"Thank you," Penny replied. She turned and walked a short distance away before putting the phone to her ear. "Jeff?"

12:40:05

"Penny! Penny, are you all right?"

"Yes, Jeff, I'll be fine. A few scratches, nothing irreparable."

Scott smiled. He was so glad Penelope was okay. Both for her sake _and_ for his father's.

"Thank God. What happened?"

"All I know is that Sir Jeremy and I had just made it into the safe house when we were attacked. He..." her voice became quiet. "I've lost another dear friend today, Jeff."

"I know, Penny. I found Jeremy. I've already notified the authorities so he can be properly taken care of."

"Thank you."

"Agent 12 says they discovered you when they heard an explosion. What happened to you?"

"Apparently a fake bomb had been planted in the bonnet of the car. I was in the boot, and not injured when it went off. Unless you count the ringing in my ears, I suppose."

"Fake bomb?"

Scott frowned.

"Lady Penelope!" Megan called, running over to her. She held a piece of paper out, which Penny took from her.

"Oh, my."

"Penny? What is it?"

"This was done as a warning to you, Jeff."

"A warning?"

"Yes."

"I don't understand."

"I'll read you the note Megan found...where did you find it?"

"Nishan discovered it about five feet from the car."

"Jeff, it says, 'We are watching. Don't think you're out of the woods yet, Tracy. Too bad about your girlfriend, but some eggs have to break.' That's all."

Scott soon saw Penelope and the others out one of his side viewing windows. He went a short distance past them, glancing down at his father as he began the landing procedure.

"Some eggs have to break?" Jeff fairly bellowed. "Who the hell do these people think they are? Is it signed?"

"No, Jeff."

"Dammit!" he swore, unstrapping himself and rising to his feet as soon as the rocket plane landed. "Hang on. I'm coming out." Jeff headed for the exit hatch, Scott close on his heels.

Before they'd even taken a couple of steps, the sound of shots rang out, the side of Thunderbird One pelted with what sounded like bullets from Army-issue rapid-fire weapons. They clanged incessantly against the hull as the great plane began to sway under the pounding. Then came the explosion. All Jeff heard was Penelope's voice screaming for him through the phone.

12:48:17

Why hadn't she been back? He'd been good, hadn't he?

_Where am I?_

John looked around. He was in a room that looked very different from the others he'd seen. This room was covered with all kinds of technology, from large processors and servers to computers and things that looked like they'd come straight out of a sci-fi movie.

He was sitting in a straight-backed chair. He now wore silk boxers, but nothing else. Two electrode patches rested on his temples, and one at the base of his skull. John Tracy wasn't...quite...himself.

The world looked pretty happy, even though for the moment he was alone. All he could think about was Ebony. Her touch...the fire, the pleasure she unleashed within him. No one had ever made him feel that way. He didn't want her to stop. He wanted to keep feeling that, forever.

When the door opened, and she appeared before him at last, he thought he was hallucinating again. For what he saw in front of him with these electrodes attached was not _always_ what was really there.

"Ebony," he breathed, his face lighting up with boyish delight.

The scowl on her face when she'd entered the room deepened as she reached out and ripped the electrodes from his head. John screamed as though she'd ripped off his arm.

"What did I do, what did I do?" he cried, hunching over as pain seared through his head.

"We're speeding up your training."

"I don't..." he panted as she grabbed his arm and started pulling him toward the door. "I don't...understand..."

"Somebody's trying to get the best of me," she seethed, dragging him down the hall. "_You're_ going to make sure that doesn't happen."

12:52:15

Ruth had been trying for the past half-hour to get to a communications device, but Kyrano had awakened less than 30 seconds after he originally lost consciousness, and grabbed hold of her arm so tightly she hadn't been able to pull away. Having given up on that effort, she'd focused instead on soothing him as best she could.

Now, as he lay on the floor perpendicular to her with his head on her lap, she watched his eyes slowly return to normal, the haze she'd gotten used to back when the Hood frequently attacked him fading at last.

"Kyrano? What happened? I thought your half-brother couldn't do this to you anymore. Is he not dead?" Dread filled her heart as she asked the question. He couldn't have made it, with his head having been blown half away thanks to Lady Penelope. But then how was Kyrano getting attacked? "Kyrano, can you tell me what happened?"

"Jeff..." he whispered, eyelids fluttering closed.

"No, no. Kyrano, stay with me," she said, caressing his cheek.

"Ruth...she's...his...his..." But his eyes finally fell completely shut. And this time she couldn't rouse him.

"Damn," Ruth swore, rising from the floor at last. "Damn!"

12:55:59

"Thunderbird Two calling Thunderbird One! Come in!"

Gordon and Tin-Tin stood behind Virgil's chair in the cockpit, the looks of disbelief on their faces matching Virgil's own. In the distance they could see a large cloud of black smoke rising into the air. From the exact spot where, seconds before, 2's radar had shown her sister ship was parked.

"Virgil," Tin-Tin breathed. "Scott's not answering."

"I know, I know," Virgil ground out, flipping a few switches. A holographic grid came up in front of him with red and yellow splotches showing life signs.

"There are three on the run," Gordon said, pointing to the right side of the grid.

"And three above One...with three more below," Virgil added, nodding at points in front of him.

They all stared at the center of the screen. "Where are Scott and your father?"

Virgil's jaw worked.

_Scott..._

Gordon's face was a mask of stone. As the smoke began to clear, fire flared up, sending bright flashes of red, yellow and orange flaring on the grid. Tin-Tin flinched as three pairs of eyes remained riveted to the center of the screen.

As the six figures from above and below closed in, the fire flared up again, then seemed to go out completely.

No one moved.

And at the point where Thunderbird One was last standing, there wasn't a single sign of life to be seen.

_Scott!_

Thunderbird 2 was nearly over the scene. Virgil switched off the grid, leaning forward in his chair to peer out the front cockpit window. He swallowed hard. Tin-Tin laid one hand on Virgil's shoulder, one on Gordon's as they moved closer to the window.

They swooped over the clearing. There was a car, and six camouflage-clad individuals standing not too far away. Virgil's eyes widened. Thunderbird One was nowhere to be seen.

Only a black scorch mark where once she had stood.

12:59:58

12:59:59

1:00:00


	6. Hour Six

**Hour Six**

_The following takes place between 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m._

1:00:16

"Virgil! Virgil, come in!"

Virgil nearly jumped clean out of his seat, and Tin-Tin gave a small yelp of surprise.

"Grandma?"

"Virgil, thank heavens! I need someone back here, now! I need help!"

"What? Why?"

"It's Kyrano! He's had another attack!"

"What?" Tin-Tin exclaimed. "But I thought those would end with the death of the Hood!"

"I did, too. But it was the same thing. Something's terribly wrong. He tried to tell me something, but I—"

Suddenly they heard a sound that was unmistakable. A sound those in the cockpit had never expected to hear again.

Thunderbird One roared past them, so close Virgil could see the bolts that held her together. "Scott!" he cried.

Gordon whooped as One's guns began to fire. Virgil grinned and moved Thunderbird 2 into position right behind her sister ship, guns sliding out from their panels.

"This is Thunderbird One to Thunderbird Two. There are six hostiles after Penny and two agents. They must be stopped at all costs."

"F.A.B., Scott. Right behind you."

"I'll be damned," Gordon said as One rolled slightly and rose. Her right side was dented to the point where she looked like a tin can that'd been used as B-B gun practice, and the bottom was covered in black.

One fired at two people on the ground who were trying to assemble a rocket launcher. Within seconds, the two were no more.

Virgil veered off to the right, heading for another one that held an old-fashioned bazooka on his shoulder. "Not today," he said. "I've already had one too many missiles fired at me in my time." His finger pressed a button at the top of the steering yoke. The rocket fired...right into the ground, as the gunner fell.

"Score!" Gordon cheered. He quickly pulled up the holo-grid. "I think I've got Penny and the agents," he said, using his finger to scroll the grid to the right. They'll be at your three o'clock, Virg, and they've got two hostiles on their tails."

"F.A.B. Thunderbird One from Two. I'm going after the ones chasing Penny. That still leaves one more."

"I know. We can't find him, it's like he disappeared completely."

"He might have been in with the first ones you took out, Scott."

"No," came their father's voice over the speakers. "All I had on the grid were two life signs."

"Then where the hell _is_ he?" Scott asked, though he knew no one could answer.

"Virgil?"

"Hang on, Grandma...oh, shit. Kyrano. Gordon..."

"On it." Gordon pulled Tin-Tin to the back of the cockpit and activated a secondary comm system. "Grandma, you say Kyrano's unconscious?"

"Yes, Gordon. I-I don't know what to do. Nothing I'm trying is waking him up."

"Well, have you asked Brains for help?"

"Brains?" Grandma repeated. "He's here?"

"Well..." Gordon and Tin-Tin-exchanged glances. "Yeah, he stayed back at Base." He shifted his weight to maintain balance as Thunderbird Two headed into a nosedive. He looked up at Virgil's back. "Didn't he?"

"I didn't...hang on!" Virgil had found his targets and zeroed in on them. He was so close to the ground he could actually make out which of the figures fleeing was Penelope. He took aim...and fired.

He smiled as the three on the ground turned and gave him the thumbs-up.

"Good work, Virgil! We've got to land, One's not doing too good."

"Shit," Virgil replied. "We'll land, too. If she needs repairs to get home, you'll need all hands on deck."

"F.A.B."

"Now, what's this about Brains?" Virgil asked.

"Grandma didn't know he was back at Base. You _did_ leave him there, didn't you? I mean, when we left?"

Virgil's mouth open and closed. He thought a moment before speaking. "You know, I honestly don't remember seeing him in the Lounge when we went out. Do you, Grandma?"

"No, Virgil. I haven't seen him in quite some time."

"You know," Alan's voice suddenly broke into the conversation. "If anyone would've bothered to ask me, I could've told you where Brains was."

"Oh, Alan, I'm sorry," Grandma said resignedly. "I didn't think to call you."

Alan feigned a pout. "Outta sight, outta mind, I swear. Yes, Brains is still there, and he's in his lab. I'd bet he's blasting his damn Broadway music so loud he couldn't hear the klaxon."

Virgil chuckled. "Bet you're right. Zap his watch."

They all heard a yelp. All but Tin-Tin laughed. She was too worried about her father.

"Uh...Brains here."

"Brains, get up to the Lounge right now. Kyrano's suffered some sort of attack and is out cold."

"Brains, please take good care of him."

"I, uh, I will, Tin-Tin. Don't w-worry. A-And Virgil? I'm transmitting some information to you that, uh, I-I believe you'll find useful. Brains out."

1:14:49

"How on _Earth_ did you manage to get away? I thought I heard you'd been blown to...but...oh, Jeff!" Penny launched herself into his arms. He held her tight. So tight.

_Thank God. Oh, Penny, thank God._

"I love you," he mumbled into her hair.

She looked up over his shoulder as Scott approached them. "Why does Scott look as though he's seeing a four-headed beast?"

Jeff backed away and looked her in the eye. "He knows."

Her eyes widened as Scott walked past. She turned to look after him just as he stopped and swiveled to face her and his father. He looked from one to the other and a smile began to appear.

"Welcome to the family, Penny," he said softly. Then he turned and walked away.

Eyes glistening, Penelope melted into Jeff's arms.

1:16:46

"What happened, Mrs. Tracy?"

"Another attack. Like the ones the Hood used to cause."

Brains knelt next to Kyrano on the floor and scanned him with a small handheld device.

"His heart, Brains. How's his heart?"

"Just fine, M-Mrs. Tracy. I-In fact, all vital signs are normal. The digital pacemaker I i-installed seems to be functioning perfectly."

"Of course it is, dear. But if he's fine, why is he unconscious?"

"You say i-it was another attack? Like he used to have?"

"Yes."

"Did he say anything to you?"

"He tried. He said Jeff's name," Ruth explained as Brains placed a pillow under Kyrano's head. "He also said 'She's his,' but that was all."

Brains leaned back on his haunches, falling back to sit down completely on the floor. Ruth pulled up a chair and seated herself. She watched for a few moments and could've sworn she could see the wheels of Brains' mind turning.

"Jeff," Brains repeated softly, rubbing his temple and forehead with his hand. "She's..." His voice trailed off. "His." He squeezed his eyes shut. "She's his."

"Brains? What is it?"

"He could have been talking about Jeff," Brains said. "In reference to 'she's his.' As in, _belonging_ to Jeff. Like 'she's his mother'."

"Yes. He could have."

"But I don't think he was. M-Mrs. Tracy, you've known Kyrano as long as I have."

"Yes, I believe so. Why?"

"He protects this family. Guards it. A-Always has, most especially against the Hood."

"That's right."

"He would defend any one of us here on this i-island. Save us no matter what it took."

"Yes," she nodded. "But what's this got to do with anything?"

"He may love and protect us all," Brains said, looking down at Kyrano's prone form. "But who i-is the one man he has sworn loyalty to forever, Mrs. Tracy? The man who i-is always first and foremost o-on his mind?"

"Well...Jeff, of course."

"And his was the name Kyrano spoke first."

"Yes. Yes, it was!"

"If I know Kyrano...I think that means Jeff i-is in grave danger. That would have been the first thought in his mind, the first thing he would try to say."

"You know, Brains, you're pretty smart."

Brains half-laughed, his mind already working on the next thing. "I-I believe the second thing he tried to tell you is separate from the first. I-I mean, they're related, but—" He stopped, noting the utterly confused look on Ruth's face.

"Let me give you a-an example. If I were concerned a-about you, I would say your name. Then I would try to tell you _why_ I was concerned about you. Such as...Mrs. Tracy! Watch out for the books on the floor!"

Ruth's look of confusion morphed into one of complete understanding. "So the 'she's his' referred to how it is Jeff's in so much danger."

"I believe so, yes."

"And they say geniuses can't explain things to us normal folk," Ruth smiled as she rose to her feet. "I'm guessing you have to work out what exactly it means, though."

"Y-Yes."

"I'll contact Tin-Tin and let her know her father's okay. Tea?"

"Yes, please."

Ruth went to step by Brains, who was sitting cross-legged and rocking slightly to and fro. She stopped and placed a hand on his head. "Thank you."

But Brains' mind was already miles away...

1:28:32

Scott walked up to where Nishan and Megan stood talking quietly off to the side. "Agent 12?" he said, addressing Nishan first. Holding his hand out, he continued. "I'm Scott. Thank you for helping Penelope."

"I am very glad I was able to assist," he replied, shaking Scott's offered hand. "And I'm very happy to meet one of you in person at last. May I ask, how is it that you and Thunderbird One did not perish?"

Scott grinned. "Well, that was a bit of quick thinking and a lot of luck. When she started to sway, I realized we were in danger of tipping. That much firepower at that force can send even Thunderbird One on her side, no matter how good the stabilizers are."

Megan frowned. Scott hadn't even said hello. If nothing else, she'd expected _that_ much.

"So, I jumped into the seat and blasted off just as the explosion hit. Must've been a small missile. It rocked us pretty good."

"Didn't know for sure if we were going to make it up or not there for a while," Jeff interjected as he and Penny approached, arms around one another.

"But of course you did," Penny said, "with Scott at the controls."

Scott had the good grace to blush just slightly as his father shook Nishan's hand. Jeff then turned to Megan. "Dr. Crawford, it is a pleasure, though I was hoping for better circumstances than this for a reunion."

"As was I, Mr. Tracy," she replied, shaking his hand warmly.

"Scott?" Jeff said. "You've met Agent 12?"

"Yes, I have."

"And I assume you remember Megan Crawford."

Scott cast an evil death glare at his father. Exactly the reaction Jeff had expected. "Yes. I do. Hello, Dr. Crawford."

Megan's eyes flashed. "That's Agent 113 to you," she huffed, walking away. Penelope followed her.

Virgil, Gordon and Tin-Tin came running full-bore before Jeff had a chance to say anything to Scott.

"Dad!" Virgil exclaimed. He hesitated long enough to share a look with his older brother.

_I'm glad you're safe._

"Virgil! Nice to see you, son. Anything to report?"

"We've reconnoitered the bodies, and only five are accounted for. I suggest we all stay on alert and assume this area to be unsafe."

"Right," Jeff said.

"Dad, there's something else," Gordon piped up. "Brains found it and transmitted it to us before he went to help Grandma."

"What is it?"

"Well, apparently Kyrano was trying to access Asian Union Archives on-line. He sent a message down to Brains in the Lab, asking if he could hack into the archives since he was hitting a dead end."

"What for?" Penny asked as she and Megan rejoined the group.

"Well, Brains didn't give us the entire story, but what he found is a bit curious. Kyrano was looking for anyone born to the House of Gaat within the last two years."

"House of...Gaat? You mean...his half-brother?"

Virgil nodded. "That means for some reason Kyrano felt it was important to what's happening today, whether or not Gaat had a child."

"Wait a minute, is this the guy you killed?" Megan asked.

Penelope nodded. "It is."

"What did Brains find?"

"He came up with a record, Dad. There was a baby born seventeen months ago. A boy named Esunge Mongke Gaat. Esunge, apparently, was the name of one of Genghis Khan's sons."

"Genghis Khan? Didn't Kyrano tell me Belah had Mongol ancestors?"

"Yes," Tin-Tin offered. "In fact, his lineage can be traced directly back _to_ Khan."

"There's a shocker," Scott remarked.

"And Brains noted that Mongke means 'eternal,' also in the Mongol language."

"I wonder if the names have any significance to today."

"Could be, Jeff," Penny replied, turning to check their perimeter. "But why would Kyrano be looking to see if his half-brother had a child when he was supposed to be looking for clues to find John?"

Megan's eyes met Scott's, but before she could even register a thought having to do with him, an idea came to her. "Well, if he had a son, he didn't do it alone. Maybe Kyrano was after whoever the mother is?"

"Oh, my God," Scott said, his eyes never leaving Megan's face. "She's right, Dad." He turned to look at his father. Together, the spoke one word.

"Ebony."

1:43:18

_You are progressing well, John._

Thank you, he thought. I don't understand what you want, though. Why am I here?

_I know you have questions, but it is best if you do not know all answers now._

I never knew I could do this.

_You can. You have a very strong mind, John._

And I owe you so much for revealing it to me.

John looked away from her, nonchalantly scanning his surroundings. The room was sparsely furnished, with only a wooden plank which seemed to be what served as the bed, and an armoire at the far end. There were no large Asian men...no electrodes...no chains...no glass tanks. Here it was just John and Ebony.

And a child.

_You have a question._

Yes, he replied mentally, his eyes returning to her face. He was careful to look at the bridge of her nose, right between her eyes.

_The time is drawing near. You may ask your question_.

The child. Who is the child?

Ebony turned to look at the toddler as he tried in vain to climb atop the wooden plank.

_He is my son. __**Our**__ son._

_Our_ son? Yours and...?

_Why do you wish to know?_

John looked away and thought, Jealousy.

Ebony smirked. This was so easy. So _easy_.

_He is the product of my union with my former master._

John was surprised to hear those words.

_His body is gone_.

He could almost hear the wistfulness in her voice as it echoed inside his head.

_But his spirit lives._

_What is the boy's name?_

_Esunge Mongke Gaat. It is a strong name. The name of a future ruler of this planet._

John's eyes grew wide. "Gaat?" he whispered, turning away from her as Esunge ran into her arms. _My God. Gaat?_

Ebony's eyes grew wide, boring holes in the back of John's head. _You know my master._

John turned and asked silently, _His spirit is still alive?_

She nodded, nuzzling her little boy as he wrapped his arms around her neck. Then the child struggled to be let down. Ebony complied. He walked up to John, his hands behind his back like a little soldier in training.

"You. Bad," he said, pointing a finger up at John.

It was now or never.

Without warning, John grabbed Esunge and darted past Ebony, who was surprised just long enough for him to get by her and out the door.

"Penjaga!" she yelled, running out the door after them. "Penjaga!"

He had no idea where he was going. Esunge giggled like it was all a great game the fair-haired stranger was playing with him. John's heart pounded through his chest as servants scattered before him.

"Membantutkan!" Ebony screamed, robes fluttering behind her as she raced after her prey. "Penjaga! Kini! Kini!"

John heard heavy footfalls and turned to look. When he saw what was following him, he wished he hadn't.

The child began to fuss and struggle. John didn't want to hurt him. He just wanted to get away. That's all he could think about. Getting away. He skidded to a halt, thrust the boy into a servant's arms, and continued through the center of the great cavernous room he remembered. He looked toward the front entrance. Guards were closing in on him from every angle.

To the side was a large staircase. He made a break for it, sideswiping a dagger thrust at him by the nearest enemy. Wincing at the glancing blow to his ribcage, he took the steps three-at-a-time. They rounded slightly, and as he approached the top, he got a feeling of dejà vu.

He'd been here. He knew this place. Looking up, he saw that there was still no ceiling. Only sky. In front of him the floor was split in two by the chasm he remembered so well. This was where it had happened. This was where she'd...

He flushed crimson, anger rising to the forefront of his mind. How had he let her _do_ that to him? He hadn't even _tried_ to get away!

_You were not in control, John._

The voice startled him.

_**She**_ _was._

"Kyrano?" John ran toward the abyss. "Kyrano, where are you? Are you here?"

_Look within, John. Find your brother._

"My brother?" he asked, thoroughly confused. The guards were almost upon him as he scrambled closer to the edge of the abyss.

_Gordon will hear you. You are at Belah's temple. Repeat it. Belah's temple. Belah's temple._

"Belah's temple," John wheezed, his previous near-drowning having taken its toll on his lungs. "Belah's temple."

Guards in metal body armor surrounded him, forming a large circle around where the chasm yawned behind John's heels. John closed his eyes and did the only thing he could now. As his heel reached the edge of the abyss, he knew it was the only option he had left.

_Gordon...Gordon...it's me, John. Can you hear me? Gordon, can you hear me?_

Deep inside, John knew he was dead.

1:56:32

Gordon, Scott and Virgil were in the midst of examining Thunderbird 1's hull for damage while Alan used Thunderbird 5 to scan her internal circuitry and relay information back to Brains in his lab. While half of Brains' mind was on trying to solve the riddle Kyrano had left them with, the other half was processing data on One, hoping fervently it wasn't damaged beyond repairs the boys could effect in the field. Having to get her back home not under her own power would be a bitch if it boiled down to that.

Scott pulled a panel away and swore softly. "Hey, Gordon, hand me the fuser, will you?"

"Sure thing. What'd you find...oh...oh, God..."

Scott peeked down from the ladder he was standing on. "Gordon?"

Gordon, standing five rungs below his older brother, swayed and grabbed hold of the ladder to steady himself. The ladder shook and Scott's hands tightened their hold on the sides of it.

"Gordon, what is it?"

Gordon's eyes seemed to look inward. He hadn't heard anything like this in a very, very long time. Not since the sub two years ago...but...this voice...he couldn't place it...who was it?

_Gordon...Gordon...it's me, John. Can you hear me? Gordon, can you hear me?_

He gasped, losing his grip on the rungs. But Virgil's strong arms were suddenly behind him, and caught him before he fell. He lowered Gordon to his feet as Scott clamored down to join them.

"It's...my God, it can't be..."

"Son?" Jeff said, a worried look on his face as he moved away from his position as Point Guard. "Scott, what happened?"

"I don't know, Father. He just started swaying, and he gasped."

Tin-Tin rushed to his side. "I know this look!" she cried as Gordon grabbed her arm. "He's being contacted! It's the same look Father gets!"

"Contacted?" Jeff repeated. "By whom? You don't think...Ebony?"

Scott moved closer. "Look, he's saying something." He put his ear as close to Gordon's mouth as he could and began repeating what he could pick up. "Gordon...me...can...you...me...Gordon...hear...me..."

"Do you think it's Father?" Tin-Tin asked. "He played a very important role in Gordon learning of his abilities. He might be trying to tell us something through Gordon now."

"That's a possibility," Jeff replied. "Scott, what else?"

Suddenly Gordon seemed to come alive. His eyes widened. "John!" he yelled. "My God, John!"

"John?" they all chorused.

"Gordon!" Jeff turned his son, hands squarely on his shoulders. He looked into his eyes. "Gordon, what about John? What about him?"

"I...he's...he's being held...he's in..."

_Belah's temple...Belah's temple..._

"Belah's...temple!"

"No," Tin-Tin breathed. "It can't be."

"His temple? That's where John's being held?"

Gordon nodded, his unblinking eyes still wide. "Oh...oh, God, they...they're after him. Lots of them, he's cornered."

At this, Gordon's eyes became glassy, his voice a near-whisper. "Can't escape. Love you. Can't escape. I'm sorry. Tell Dad I'm sorry."

"John," Jeff whispered.

"Going to...looking behind...going to...have to go...they're coming..."

Tin-Tin's lower lip trembled.

_Jump, jump, jump, jump!_

Gordon started as though a hand had been laid on him.

_Jump! Jump!_

"John!" Gordon cried, pushing away from his father and running forward. His arms were outstretched, fingers grabbing at thin air. "John, no! Nooooo!"

1:59:58

1:59:59

2:00:00


	7. Hour Seven

**Hour Seven**

_The following takes place between 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m._

2:00:21

John stumbled backwards. He felt himself falling, felt the heat coming from the abyss beneath. He knew he was going to die.

_Gordon!_

And then suddenly he wasn't falling anymore. He looked up in surprise as his body rose into the air, then began moving toward the stairs. He floated down along them until he reached a point near the front and center of the cavernous main room.

There he saw the reason he had not fallen into the chasm.

Ebony stood with arms raised, eyes closed. She moved her arms lower and John began to sink to the ground, until at last he stood on his own two feet. The guards all came racing into the room and stood behind him. Ebony's eyes opened.

"You are a good liar, John Tracy."

He said nothing.

"You put my son's life in danger. You betrayed me."

"Betrayed _you_?" John retorted. "You killed a friend of mine, allowed me to nearly drown, you punish me for talking like a normal human being...and somehow the fact that I want to escape is considered betrayal?"

She shook her head. "This is going to have to be done the hard way." She moved closer to him. He flinched when her hand traced an invisible line from his neck down his chest and to the waistband of the boxers she'd made him wear. The fabric fell away – he would never know how. And he was completely naked once more.

But John stood there proudly. If he was going to die, he would die with Tracy dignity.

She sort of half-smiled before turning her attention to the guards. "Dia menawan bilik azab."

Two guards roughly grabbed his arms, and he was led away.

"Time to make a call," Ebony said, heading for her rooms.

2:09:08

On his knees, Gordon wrapped his arms around himself. His eyes squeezed shut; the rest of the world didn't exist.

_John! John! Where are you? Tell me...please be okay. John?_

"Gordon," Jeff said softly, bending on one knee beside him. "Gordon, what happened?"

Slowly Gordon's eyes opened. Jeff saw unabashed fear reflected back at him. "He was falling. To his death."

Jeff swallowed hard. "Did he...is he...?"

"I don't know," Gordon shook his head. "But I'm not hearing him anymore. I thought I heard him once, but now...there's nothing."

Jeff rose to his feet and returned to the others. "Okay, here's what we're going to do. Scott, Virgil, Tin-Tin: I want you on Thunderbird One. She needs to be able to fly, and I mean _now_." The three nodded and hurried back to the rocket plane.

He turned toward Penny. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay, Jeff. Just a bit wary not knowing where the sixth hostile has disappeared to."

"And that's where I need your help. Nishan, ever used a weapon?"

"Yes, Sir, I am fully trained as per International Rescue procedures."

"Good. Megan? You up for some danger?"

She mock-saluted. "Yes, Sir!"

Jeff chuckled. "Then come with me to Thunderbird Two. It's up to us to keep everyone else safe enough to finish with Thunderbird One. And then," he said, jaw set firmly, "we're going to rescue my son."

2:12:55

John's heart sank when he saw the room he'd been taken to. It was in the basement of wherever the hell he was, and was filled with more devices meant for torturing people than he'd ever seen outside the movies. To his relief, he was taken to a far wall and shoved against it, his hands shackled over the top of his head.

His muscles tensed as the last guard left the room.

_Gordon!_

It had to work. Kyrano said it would. It would. Wouldn't it?

_Gordon, can you hear me?_

Dammit, this has got to be bullshit. I can't do this. It must've just been Ebony. Maybe she's powerful enough that she can hear me think to her.

_Gordon, why don't you hear me?_

He closed his eyes.

_Please. Please. Help me, Gordo. Please._

His head dipped down, chin resting on his chest.

He was so cold. So tired. He began to shiver.

_Please._

She was going to kill him. Somehow he just _knew_ it.

_Somebody...please help me._

2:16:24

"Father!"

Jeff frowned as he handed a machine pistol to Nishan and a laser pistol to Megan. Penny grabbed a laser rifle for herself as Jeff raised his watch.

"Alan?"

"Father, she's...it's Ebony! She wants to speak to you!"

Jeff's mouth pursed into a straight line. "Everyone stay back and be quiet." He moved away from them and said, "Put her through, Alan."

"Hello, Jeff Tracy."

Her smile made him want to retch.

"Where is my son?"

"So you believe me now, do you?"

"Stop playing games. Why did you take him? What is it you want, Ebony?"

Her smile widened. "Why, nothing at all, Jeff Tracy. I have decided he will be of no use to me in his...current condition. You may come at your leisure and take him away."

Jeff's eyes narrowed. "What's the catch?"

"Catch?" she repeated, smoothing her hair away from her face. "Why, Jefferson, what would make you think there is a catch?"

"Because you've gone to way too much trouble to just give him back with no strings attached."

"You _are_ clever, aren't you?" She looked into his eyes for a moment before continuing. "You are right, of course. There _is_ a string attached."

"And that would be?"

"An exchange."

"John for what?"

"No, not _what_, Jeff Tracy. _Who._"

"All right, then! Who?"

She blinked once. "Why...you, of course."

2:24:18

_Please._

Gordon started.

_Somebody...please help me._

He looked toward Thunderbird One from where he was seated on the grass. Scott was visible only from the waist, down as he struggled to repair something inside One's tail. Virgil was up at the top of the front landing gear, while Tin-Tin was inside the cockpit doing who-knew-what exactly.

Then he looked over to where Agents 12 and 113 stood talking quietly with Penelope. Off from them and closer to Gordon himself was his father. He knew who Jeff was talking to, but somehow it didn't matter. It just didn't matter. What mattered now was...

"John."

It was spoken so softly, no one heard him.

Dammit, he just couldn't concentrate! What was it that had happened before...?

The tingling sensation. That was it! Gordon crossed his legs Indian-style, folded his hands in his lap and closed his eyes.

_Let your mind go._

He could almost hear Kyrano's voice in his head.

_Let the world fall away._

He remembered. Deep breath in...hold...exhale...he remembered!

He made a picture of John in his mind. Every detail of his face...his large, crystal blue eyes...the light blonde hair, a curl escaping to rest on his forehead...straight nose...his mouth, and the way the sides would twitch when he was being sarcastic...he saw John blink, and—

_Gordon!_

John?

Had he just seen John's mouth move?

_Gordon, can you hear me?_

He could see him! See him talking!

_Yes! Yes, John! I hear you! I can see you!_

Suddenly the picture of John he had in his mind changed. No longer was he the confident, sarky brother Gordon knew so well. He was...pale. Frightened. Shaking...shaking? No, shivering.

_John? Are you in Belah's temple?_

_I—I don't know where I am. Oh, God, Gordon! Help me!_

_Are you hurt?_

_No, not really, but...she plays these mind games. Gordon, I don't know who she is, but she can hear me. She can hear my thoughts!_

_John, calm down. Calm down and listen to me._

Not more than fifteen feet away, Jeff growled as the connection with Ebony was lost. He turned on heel, fully prepared to tell Scott and the others that Thunderbird One was to fly with or without further repairs...when he saw Gordon. The way he was seated...his eyes closed, his lips moving...Jeff recognized the look instantly.

Silently, he stole up to his son's side.

_Okay. Okay. I'm okay._

_John, you have to tell me something. Have you seen a child? A small boy, about seventeen months of age?_

_Yes. Yes, he is Ebony's son. Ebony's and...Belah Gaat's._

_Gordon's heart started pounding. Are you sure? he thought. Are you sure it's Gaat's son?_

_Yes! Ebony told me herself. She's going to...I don't know what she's going to do to me, Gordon! I tried to get away but there was nowhere to go. I tricked her. She's mad as hell._

_John, we know where you're being held. But we don't know where the temple itself is._

_Kyrano would know._

_But he's unconscious. Do you have any idea where you are?_

_He can't be unconscious. He spoke to me!_

_Of course! I remember, he spoke to Tin-Tin and me when we were on the sub! And he was unconscious then!_

_I can't...oh, God. Oh, God, Gordon...she's coming...she's coming! Help me! Help...no, no!_

_JOHN?_

But John's face...and his voice...were gone.

2:41:48

"Are you certain she has made the call?"

A short, squat Chinese man nodded enthusiastically. "She has. Jeff Tracy has been advised that she will exchange his son for him."

"Do you believe she plans to release the son?"

"Ebony? Doubtful. She will probably capture the elder and kill the younger. If she is anything like the Master."

"Stop calling him that!" the large Mongolian man barked. His classic fu manchu look seemed incongruous with his British-like accent. The Chinese man cowered before him. "We have waited many years for vengeance," he intoned, walking across the room to a window. "_Many_ years."

He looked out the window thoughtfully for a few moments as the Chinese man shifted uneasily from foot to foot. What seemed like an eternity finally passed until the larger man turned at last. "You must bring me the child. Bring me the child _before_ Jeff Tracy finds that temple!"

The Chinese man opened his mouth to argue, but one look from his counterpart silenced him. He simply nodded and scurried out the door.

"Soon, Tsenden. Soon you shall be avenged." He pulled a long sword from the sheath on his belt. "Make no mistake about that."

2:50:19

"What did you think you were doing, you dog?" Ebony's hand whizzed through the air, landing squarely on John's jaw for a fifth time.

John stared her down defiantly, unwilling to give in to the fear he felt in the pit of his stomach. "If you're going to kill me, just get it over with. You won't get any more satisfaction out of me."

She laughed. A low, deadly sound. "Oh, really?" she asked, though it was not a question meant to be answered. "We'll see about that."

She moved in front of him and grabbed him hard. He jumped, but refused to look away. "I took you once, John Tracy," she reminded him, her voice sultry and cool...

_...velvet. Smooth._

John's eyes widened.

_Soft. Safe. Comfortable._

Ebony smirked, her eyes boring into his.

_Swirling colors. Beautiful. So beautiful._

"I had to change my plans because of you, John," she intoned, her hand moving slowly to and fro. "It's all your fault that things are going to be a bit more...brutal...than I anticipated."

_Ebony..._

"But for now, I shall enjoy you."

Beads of sweat gathered on John's forehead, on his biceps...his chest, his legs. She was touching him...everywhere...all around him, through him. It felt so good. _She_ felt so good.

_Yes._

Her mouth was inches from his. "Do you want me, John?" she breathed, holding his gaze.

_Velvet. Soft._

Ebony's breath danced across his lips. "Tell me you want me."

_I...I..._

"Tell me, John."

All identity seemed to fall away. His face bore no expression. "Ebony," he breathed. "I want you."

She removed his shackles and led him to her room.

2:58:26

"Gordon, are you back with us?"

Gordon took Jeff's offered hand and rose to his feet, nodding. "Yes, I—I think I'm back all the way."

"Tell me what happened."

"John doesn't know exactly where he is, Dad. One thing's for certain, though: he's scared shitless."

"Of Ebony?"

He nodded. "And there is a child there. John said Ebony told him it was Gaat's son."

"So Kyrano's search was right on target. We're dealing with nothing less than that sonofabitch Hood's family!"

"Looks that way, Dad." Gordon frowned and turned away, his hand covering his face.

Jeff moved so he was in front of him. "Gordon? What is it?"

"I think something bad's happened to John. He said Ebony was coming and kept yelling, 'No, no!' and then he was just...gone."

Jeff bit his lip as Gordon's eyes filled with tears. "Father, he's so frightened. So damned frightened. She's fucking with his mind, he's barely the brother I know!"

Jeff laid a hand on his son's shoulder. "We'll get him back. I promise you we will."

Gordon opened his mouth to answer as he looked over his dad's shoulder. He gave a quick shout and in a flash, threw himself into his father.

That was when Jeff Tracy heard the laser rifle shot.

That was when Gordon's body crumpled on top of him.

That was when Gordon Tracy stopped moving.

2:59:58

2:59:59

3:00:00


	8. Hour Eight

**Hour Eight**

_The following takes place between 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m._

3:01:37

Jeff was in a daze. His head had hit the ground as he and Gordon went down. For the moment, all he could register was that a lot of people were shouting, and there was an awful lot of gunfire. He saw Virgil grab Gordon and head for Thunderbird 2, followed by Scott, who lifted his father to his feet, put his arm around his shoulders and followed Virgil as fast as he could.

Tin-Tin fussed over Gordon, who'd been placed on a bed in 2's medical bay, while Scott gingerly lowered Jeff onto a nearby seat. Jeff felt a sting in his arm and realized Tin-Tin must've given him a shot of dihydroergotamine for his head. Within a few seconds, he knew he was right.

"I'm going to have to get him to a hospital," he heard Tin-Tin say as his head began to clear. This is not something I have the expertise to fix."

"What...what happened?" Jeff asked, approaching the three who stood around Gordon's prone form.

"That sixth hostile tried to kill you," Scott replied. "Gordon must've seen him over your shoulder and pushed you down. Two laser shots hit him right in the back."

"How? If the gunman was behind me...?"

"He twisted you around. Used himself as a human shield," Virgil offered.

Jeff's hand passed over his eyes as he knelt next to Gordon on the bed. He laid a hand on Gordon's head. "Thank you, son." Taking a deep breath, Jeff rose to his feet as Penny and Megan rushed in. "Scott?" Jeff said, casting a meaningful glance at his eldest.

Momentarily taken by surprise, Scott just stared at his dad for a few seconds until he understood..._completely_ understood...that he was actually deferring to him as field commander.

"All right, everyone. Here's what's going to happen: Virgil, fly Gordon to the nearest hospital. Tin-Tin, you take care of him here in the back during the flight. How bad is he? I mean, really?"

"His back is awfully scorched. His breathing seems fine and his pulse is right on target. I just don't know how deep the tissue damage could be."

"Okay. We only had a couple more minor things to repair on Thunderbird One..." He looked around. "Wait, where's Nishan?"

"He was killed," Penelope said quietly. "The hostile shot him." Megan looked away as Scott's eyes found hers. Penelope reached out and took Jeff's hand. "I'm sorry, Jeff. It all happened so fast after you and Gordon went down."

"I could've sworn we hit him," Megan said softly. "I don't know how the hostile got away to kill Nishan."

Scott's face softened slightly, and he looked on the verge of saying something reassuring. But just as quickly the sympathy was gone, replaced of necessity by International Rescue's field commander. "Penny, Dad, Megan, you're with me. Virg, as soon as Gordon's safe, I'll let you know what's next."

"F.A.B."

Scott and the others left Thunderbird 2. They watched as it took off, everyone with one eye on 2 and the other on the area around them. Once Thunderbird 2 was on her way, Scott turned to the rest of them.

"Okay, let's start a grid search. I have a few more things to do on One, and I don't want any surprise attacks." They nodded. "Dad, you take the north quadrant, Megan you take west. I'll take south and Penny, you've got east."

"F.A.B.," Jeff and Penny replied. Megan hesitated as they headed for their respective areas.

"What is it?"

"This isn't shaping up well, is it?"

Scott unholstered his weapon. "No," he replied grimly. "It's not."

"Listen, before we start checking our respective areas..."

"Yes?" For the first time, he stopped and allowed her his full attention.

"I'm sorry."

Genuinely perplexed, Scott cocked his head slightly. "Sorry? For what?"

"Whatever I did that made you mad."

"Mad?"

"At me. You...I just...I don't know," she shrugged. "I'm sorry." With that, she walked away.

His mouth opened and closed. Megan hadn't done anything. Why would she be apologizing? He started walking south, gun at the ready, eyes scanning everywhere.

_Why does she think I'm mad at her?_

He turned to see his father disappearing over a hill.

_Why the hell does she think I'm mad?_

Penelope headed into a thin grove of trees.

_I'm not mad at her!_

He was _getting_ mad as he turned and watched Megan's retreating form. He turned back around to the south and stomped forward through the tall grass. Women!

_Why the __**hell**__...?_

A scream stopped him in mid-step.

_Megan?_

He couldn't see her. She screamed again. Scott took off at a dead run.

"Megan!"

3:20:06

Khai listened outside Ebony's room. It wasn't hard to figure out what was going on in _there_. He clucked his tongue in disgust. Ebony was just as crazy as Gaat had been. He crept down the hall to the next room and quietly opened the door. Esunge's room.

One of Ebony's personal slaves rocked the child in an elaborate wooden rocking chair in the room's far corner. She looked up in surprise.

"The Mistress has ordered you to clean the baths for her prisoner," he told her in Chinese. "You are to leave the child in my care."

The slave nodded and rose, handing a sleeping Esunge off to Khai before scurrying out the door. Khai stood in the doorway for a moment. The coast was clear. He hurried toward the rear of the temple. It was time for the rear entrance guards to change shifts. He watched as one rounded the far corner and knew he had only seconds before a replacement would appear.

It was now or never.

He raced to the heavy wooden door, slid back the five bolts one at a time and creaked it open. Exiting, he turned and pushed it closed. It wouldn't take long for the new guard to realize it was unlocked. Within minutes, the outside grounds would be crawling with guards.

Within minutes, Khai thought as he ran into the jungle, he would be home free.

3:26:04

Jeff, Penelope and Scott converged upon the point where Megan had last been seen.

"Where is she?" Scott demanded, turning in a circle. "Where the hell is she? Megan!"

"I don't see her!" Penelope replied.

"Neither do I. Dammit!" Jeff swore.

"Alan!" Scott barked into his watch. "Give me a heat sensor reading. Penny, Dad and I are together. I need you to find Megan!"

"F.A.B.," Alan said as he began to zero in on satellite feed from their quadrant. "Hang on, I'm pulling it up."

Jeff, Penelope and Scott backed into one another, forming a small triangle so that no one could sneak up on them. All senses were on alert, guns at the ready.

"Okay, Scott. I've got you, Dad and Penny." Alan paused as he manipulated the satellite pictures. "Right, we've got two on the run due east of your position. I'm also picking up at least twenty more approximately two miles from you. It looks the two are headed right for them."

"The two on the run...one must be Megan!" Scott said. "The hostile must have taken her."

"Jeff..."

Jeff turned to look at Penelope. "What?"

"Nishan. Where is he?"

Scott frowned. "You said the hostile killed him."

"Well, he did. Tin-Tin checked for a pulse, but..."

"But what?"

"Jeff, he...he fell over there, about three meters from that tree stump."

"He's not there now," Scott observed.

"What the hell is going on?" Jeff asked.

Scott had an idea. "Alan, pull up the file on Agent 12. Show me his picture."

"F.A.B." In a few seconds, the picture of an Armenian man appeared in Scott's watch face. "Here you go, Scott."

"Oh, my God," Scott breathed.

"What?" Jeff asked.

"Look."

Jeff and Penny looked at his watch.

"Oh, no," Penelope whispered. "It _isn't_ him."

"He's got Megan!" Scott said, stalking off to the east.

"Scott, wait!"

"No, Dad. You and Penny get Thunderbird One through her pre-flight. Be ready to take off."

"Son..." Jeff said, walking towards him.

"Dad, there are at least twenty hostiles just minutes away, and we've been infiltrated by somebody whose best interests are _not_ International Rescue. I've only got a few minutes to get in there, rescue Megan and get out before we have _no_ chance of seeing her alive again."

Jeff looked into his son's eyes. He recognized what he found there. "If you're not back in twenty minutes," Jeff said, looking at his watch, "I'm coming in with guns blazing."

"Thanks, Dad," Scott said softly. "I just...I have to try."

"I know. Be careful." Scott nodded, turned on heel and took off. Less than a minute later, he was completely out of sight. Jeff turned toward Thunderbird One, Penny falling into step beside him.

"I hope I haven't just made a big mistake."

"He's in love, Jeff. You can't stop a man in love."

He smiled, squeezing Penny's hand. "No, I guess you can't, at that."

3:37:15

Ebony checked the silken scarves she'd used to restrain her willing prisoner. John lay spread-eagle on the bed, wrists tied one to each side of the headboard, ankles tied one to each side of the footboard. Satisfied that the sleeping form was secure, she stole out of her bedroom and down the hall.

Opening the door to her son's room, she was quite surprised to find that Jun was not present. Nor was Esunge. She stalked out of his bedroom into the Great Room. "Jun!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. "Esunge!"

Soon the small, young Chinese girl appeared before her, bowing low.

"Where is my son?" she cried. "Esugnke!"

The girl babbled in Chinese, which Ebony never _had_ been able to learn.

"Khai! Khai!" she yelled.

No one came. Her eyes narrowed. "Penjaga! Kemari! Kemari!"

Four guards appeared. "Mana Esunge! Mana Khai!"

"Pintu terbuka, Puteri."

"What the hell do you _mean_ the back door was open!" She grabbed Jun by the front of her smock. "Where the _hell_ is my son?"

A guard stepped forward and listened to the girl crying and talking all at once. "Mistress, she regrets to inform you that Khai ordered her to scrub the baths for your prisoner. She also regrets to inform you that Khai indicated you had ordered he watch the child in the girl's absence."

Ebony's eyes grew wide as she let go of Jun, who tumbled to the floor at her feet, where she remained cowering. "Get the car," she said, her voice deadly low. She turned to head for the rear entrance, but stopped as if she'd forgotten something. Turning to face the guard again, she pointed at Jun and growled, "And execute that stupid, useless girl."

"Bù yào!" Jun cried, tears streaming down her face as the guard nodded and hoisted her over his shoulder. "Bù yào!"

"You are looking for Khai," Ebony told the twelve guards who'd assembled in the back hall. "He has taken my son and will be put to death for his treachery. But no harm will come to him until Esunge is safe. Do you understand?"

They all nodded and headed outside to the waiting vehicles.

Ebony had completely forgotten about John.

3:46:24

Without her there to stare into his eyes, to mentally wash away everything that he was, it didn't take long for John to awaken, realize he was in somewhat of an awkward predicament and curse himself for it.

_How did she do it again? I swore she wouldn't! I swore!_

He inspected the scarf holding his right wrist to the bedpost. Gently, he gave it a tug. It seemed to give a little, but then when he pulled again, he felt it tighten around his wrist.

"Damn!"

Suddenly the door was thrown open and John jumped, startled. He was surprised to see the short Chinese man he'd often seen at Ebony's side. He was even more surprised to see Esunge in his arms, a piece of cloth tied over the boy's mouth.

"What the-?"

Khai's face reflected how terrified he was. "Help me," he gasped, tightening his hold on the boy, who was crying.

"Help _you_?" John asked with some amusement. "And how am I supposed to do that lying here naked tied to a bed?"

Khai looked at him in wonder, as if only just realizing John's inconvenient state. "I will release you...but only if you promise to help me."

"What...I don't even know who you are."

"I am Khai. I am Ebony's assistant."

"And you've got her kid with a gag on his face because..."

"I must take him to those who represent the House of T'ang."

John almost laughed out loud. The only "T'ang" he was familiar with was that orange, powdery stuff Grandma had tried to get them to drink as kids. "Why must you get him to the House of T'ang?" he asked, keeping his face as straight as he could.

"Enough questions!" Khai shrieked. "If you do not help me, your father's fate will be worse than death!"

"My _father_?"

"Yes!"

John had no idea what was going on, but even if he just played along for a while, it meant he would be free. "Fine. I'll help you escape. Untie me."

Khai hesitated. He placed the child on the bed near John's feet. Esunge grabbed John's naked leg and held on as though for dear life. Khai pulled out a knife and sliced through the silk scarves.

John sat up on the bed, surprised as hell when Esunge crawled into his arms, plastering himself against his chest. John started to remove the gag.

"No!" Khai said, the tip of his dagger suddenly resting against John's jugular. "He'll make too much noise. Let's go. Now."

John nodded and rose to his feet, the toddler in his arms. "Uh...something to wear, maybe?"

Khai looked around and grabbed the first thing within reach. "Here. Wrap this around yourself."

John looked at Khai like he had two heads. "You've got to be kidding."

"No. We have no time. Soon they will realize I doubled back. Our only hope is rooftop. Come!"

John looked at the piece of fabric he'd been handed. Resigned to his fate, he managed to wrap it around his waist with some difficulty as Esunge clung to his neck.

_I hope I find something else to put on before someone I know sees me._

If anyone had been in the Great Room when Khai, John and Esunge crossed through it, they would have seen a short, Chinese man dressed in camouflage...a baby with a gag over his mouth...and a tall, white man wearing nothing but a lavender sarong around his waist...

3:51:42

Alan was feeding the satellite imagery through to Scott's watch. While the area he could view at one time was limited, it gave him enough for him to know he wasn't far from where Megan and her captor had stopped. There were very few trees here, and none large enough to hide two people...except one set of gnarled ones.

_They must be behind there._

Scott lifted his laser rife, creeping closer to the trees. A laser shot rang out, whizzing past his head. He dropped to his belly, then raised up and returned fire. A chunk of bark flew from the tree. Then he saw a man's head pop out from behind it.

_Shit. It __**is**__ him. The man we thought was Agent 12!_

Scott crawled forward on his belly, grateful for the cover provided by the tall grass around him. Without warning, he heard a man yell, then both felt and heard footsteps. Someone was running. He peeked up, but didn't get the chance to see what was happening.

Someone hit him, cried out, and fell right on top of him.

Scott yelped, struggling to get the person off him. That's when he realized who it was.

"Megan!"

"Scott!"

She threw her arms around his neck. "God, I'm so glad it's you, I thought it was another one of those bastards!"

Lying square on top of him, their bodies touching from head to toe, Megan leaned back and looked into his eyes. One tear trickled down her cheek. "Whatever happened to forensic pathology?" she whispered.

"I know," he whispered in return, using his thumb to wipe the tear track away. "Shhh, you're safe now. You're fine." He sat up and then rose to his feet, pulling her with him. He didn't see anyone anywhere near them. "Where's the guy who had you?"

"Oh, Scott, it was Nishan! I...I got him with a big tree branch."

"You what?" he chuckled, putting his arm around her shoulders. "Come on, we've got to rendezvous with Dad and Penny. There's a whole camp of these guys just over that hill there," he nodded off to her right. "If they catch us, we're in a shitload of trouble."

"Scott?"

"Mm?" he replied, grabbing her hand and heading back the way he'd come.

"Why were you so cold to me before?"

He stopped and turned to face her. "I wasn't...I just...I hadn't thought about you in a long time."

Megan looked up at him. "Liar," she said softly as their lips met.

_Oh...oh, boy._ Scott thought. _I shouldn't...I can't...oh, hell._ He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, deepening the kiss.

"Okay, lovebirds," came a threatening voice. "Hold it right there."

Scott and Megan froze, their eyes popping open. Scott groaned inwardly.

_Shit._

3:59:58

3:59:59

4:00:00


	9. Hour Nine

**Hour Nine**

_The following takes place between 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m._

4:00:03

"Would you mind," John grunted as he tried to keep his footing, "telling me why the hell you freed me?"

"To help me escape with the child, I told you that already. Now shut up and climb."

John noted he was halfway up the domed wall. He could feel gravity desperately trying to have its way. He also noted with no small measure of discomfort that his ascent had taken him over the abyss he'd nearly fallen into not so long ago.

"This would've been easier without this monkey clinging to me."

"When you get to the top, you'll find the panels I described. Lower one of the ropes down to me."

John puffed from his efforts as the sounds of motors wafted through the opening. "Cars coming!" he called down. He could almost reach the top of the wall. Esunge squirmed and a sudden breeze reminded John that, thanks to having used the sarong to secure the baby against his chest, his ass was quite bare.

"Hurry! They have returned! They must realize I doubled back!"

With one last push, John's left hand grabbed the top of the opening. He hauled the other hand over and pulled, trying not to squish the baby as he went. Finally his waist was over the top and he rolled unceremoniously onto the outside of the building. There wasn't much to keep him up here, though, and he searched quickly for the panels Khai had told him about.

Finding a slat nearby that looked more like metal than stone, John pressed it down. It popped up, revealing a small digital keyboard labeled in what looked to be Chinese symbols. "What's the code?" he called down. "I can't read this!"

"Middle, top, top-right, middle!" Khai called back. "Hurry!"

John pressed the buttons in succession. Suddenly six stones around the circumference of the open roof scraped against the others as they rose two feet into the air, revealing all manner of weaponry, rope and other gadgets for both offensive and defensive measures.

"Man, the Hood was one paranoid guy," John said as he scuttled over to the nearest stone. He grabbed the rope and twisted Esunge 'round so he was papoosed against his back rather than his front. Slowly he lay on his belly, the rope hanging over the edge of the roof. "Khai!" he called down. "Here!"

He heard them coming even as let the rope unfurl to the second floor of the temple. Pounding up the stairs like an army of a thousand knights, he thought. Khai grabbed the rope. "Pull me up!" he cried as the first guard's head appeared. "Pull me up!"

John groaned as he tried pulling the rope. Khai was a lot heavier than he'd thought. His eyes squeezed shut, sweat starting to roll down his neck and chest. Bracing himself, he moved hand over hand, but found it to be an impossible task. He just couldn't get any leverage.

Suddenly the rope gave a great lurch. John cried out as it slid through his hands, burning them mercilessly. He looked over the edge as Khai screamed.

John scurried backwards, his breath coming fast.

_Shit, they got him._

He surveyed the area around him. The temple was huge, covering more area than his own home, he estimated. They were surrounded by jungle on all sides with small clearings front and back. And it was at least a three-story drop to the ground. Esunge fidgeted and managed to scratch John's back.

He yelped and twisted the child back around to the front, unknotting the sarong as he went. He quickly untied the gag as the boy glowered at him. Esunge tried to lunge out of his grasp, but flipped over and started sliding down the domed roof.

"No!" John cried, sliding down after him. He managed to get past him so the boy slid right into arms.

But they were still falling.

4:10:46

"Something's wrong. He's not back yet. I'm going up. Strap yourself in, Penny."

"F.A.B., Jeff."

It had been so long since Jeff had actually flown Thunderbird One. He wished he'd taken her out more for training exercises, but that was beside the point now. He clicked one lever back, igniting the VTOL, then clicked the second back, and they rose into the air.

"Bring up the holo-grid, Penny. Tell me what you see."

"F.A.B."

4:12:17

Brains watched Kyrano's brain activity, but thankfully hadn't seen anything out of the ordinary. He kept an eye on his vital signs, too, which also remained stable. Simultaneously he searched through his computer files looking for something..._anything_...to corroborate his idea.

For it had occurred to him that perhaps Mrs. Tracy had misinterpreted Kyrano's last words before he passed out. Maybe he hadn't said 'She's his' at all. If only he could find it.

_The dictionary..._

He pulled up an on-line Malay/English dictionary and requested a phonetic match for the sound of 'she's his.' It took a full twenty seconds for the computer to respond.

**cicit** : Pronounced she-shit

_noun _; great grandchild

"That's it," Brains breathed as his mind sped through everything he'd found earlier. "That's got to be it!" He pulled up the files he'd accumulated earlier in the day and tapped through a few pages before coming to a genealogy chart. Using his finger, he moved up from one line to an oval...from that up another line to a second oval...up the line and diagonal to a third...and diagonal yet again to a fourth.

"T'ang," he whispered.

He switched to a live session linked into the Asian Union Archives and typed in "T'ang." In a few seconds, some results were displayed. He looked through them quickly, clicking on the fifth one down. A few more clicks, and another genealogy chart was before him.

"There are relatives," he said aloud. Brains clicked around and found some pictures. He sent them up to the computer on Jeff's desk, praying he was wrong. He checked on the sleeping Kyrano one more time before racing out of the lab. "Brains to Jeff Tracy," he said into his watch as he ran for the elevator.

He received no response.

"Jeff Tracy, come in. Urgent!"

Nothing.

_Damn._

"Brains to Thunderbird 5."

"Here, Brains."

"Alan, where is everyone right now?"

"Virgil and Tin-Tin are in Thunderbird 2. They've taken Gordon to a hospital in Kuala Lumpur."

"What happened to him?"

"I think he was shot, Brains," Alan replied quietly, his eyes downcast. "But Tin-Tin thinks he's going to be okay."

"What about Scott and the others?"

"Last I heard, Megan had disappeared and Scott was going after her."

"I need your father. He won't answer his comm. I need him _now_. Tell him it's urgent!"

"F.A.B."

Brains exited the elevator and sped into the Lounge, startling Ruth.

"Brains? What on Earth...?"

"I think I know who's behind the attack at North York." Brains shook his head, willing Alan's portrait to life. "If I'm right, this just became a bigger mess than it already was." He turned to look Ruth in the eye. "And John's in even more trouble than we thought."

4:19:49

"Now, why am I getting a feeling of dejà vu, here?"

Megan groaned. "That's not even funny."

Scott sighed as he tried to work at the ropes binding them together. "Well, at least we're not back-to-back this time."

"Face-to-face with our arms up over our heads like we're sides of beef is somehow better?"

"Don't blame this on me! You're the one who got us into this mess!"

"Me?" She graced him with a withering look. "It takes two to kiss, Scott Tracy. And I didn't make your arms go around me."

"You _had_ to pick the middle of a battlefield for it, didn't you?"

"Oh, just forget it ever happened!" she said, wrenching her hands against the rope.

"Fine, I will!" he retorted, wrenching his _own_ hands around.

"Fine!" Megan shook her arms as hard as she could, twisting one up to try and loosen the rope. She winced as she felt it cut into her wrist. Turning, she noticed Scott staring at her. "What?"

"You okay?"

Frowning, she blew a puff of air at the bangs that kept falling over her eyes. "Just dandy, Flyboy. Any bright ideas?"

He looked around. The little bit of light entering the room told him there wasn't much to help them. Then he studied what they were tied to. "Hey, this looks like a pipe."

"Brilliant, Sherlock."

"Hey, stop with the sarcasm, will you? I get enough of that from..." Scott looked away. "John," he finished softly.

"Don't go all introspective on me, Scott. I know John's missing, and that's why Nishan brought me in to help."

"But he wasn't Nishan!" Scott said, looking sharply at her.

"Don't tell me you're doubting me _again_! After everything I went through for you and your family last time?"

"No," he puffed, moving his hands around again. "I'm sorry, it's not your fault."

"I should say not." They both twisted and pulled but neither could get anywhere with loosening their ropes, and Megan's dug into her flesh more and more with each passing moment. "What about the pipe?" she finally asked.

"Huh?"

"The pipe." She nodded up at where their hands were tied. "You said something about it before."

"Right, the pipe! Maybe we can jiggle it loose?"

"I guess it's worth a try. How do you propose we do so?"

Scott craned his neck around, trying to see behind him. "It looks like there's a joint about a foot back," he said, turning back around to face her. "If we both swing in the same direction, it might be enough to loosen it."

She tilted her head. "Let's give it a whirl. Towards me first, then back your way."

"Yes, ma'am."

Her eyes flashed. "You're impossible," she breathed, using her toes to inch herself closer to him. Their faces were suddenly very close.

"Isn't this how we got into this mess in the first place?" he asked, his breath hot on her face.

"Quiet, Tracy, and move."

He leaned back and swung toward her. Unfortunately, Megan wasn't quite ready and he ended up plowing right into her.

"Ow! Dammit!"

"Sorry. You said to move."

She glared at him, but then burst out laughing. "We're a pair, aren't we?"

_Maybe we are_, he thought, grinning in return.

"Okay, this isn't working. How about you wrap your legs around me? That way when we move, we'll move together."

"Good idea." She swung up as he moved closer, and wrapped her legs around his waist. "This is compromising," she muttered.

"All right, I'm getting ready. Swinging your way first."

Scott tip-toed himself back as far as he could, then lifted his feet. They swung Megan's way, their full weight pulling their hands harshly downward against the rope. Megan cried out as they swung back Scott's way.

"Want me to stop?" he asked hurriedly as they swayed back toward the center.

"No!" she ground out, squeezing her eyes closed. "Keep going!"

Backwards and forwards, he pumped his legs like a child on a swing. "I think...it's...coming..."

"You'd better be talking about the pipe!"

"Even...now...you can't...stop busting...my ass!"

"Nope!" she grinned, then cried out as the rope cut deeper into her wounds. "Aaaaaa!"

There was a clink and they were falling before either of them knew what had happened.

4:33:56

"There!" Penny said. "They're acting awfully calm." She could see one lookout posted near the front of the area occupied by the small army. He looked up at them and turned around, yelling as he ran for the others. "Well, they _were_ acting calm."

"Scott and Megan have to be with them somewhere. There aren't any other signs of life registering on the holo-grid, right?"

"No, still not, Jeff."

"Alan, is GPS still showing Scott here?"

"Yes, within half a mile of the other life signs. I just can't pinpoint it any closer than that. Dad, Brains needs you. He says it's urgent."

"I'm sure it is, but he's going to have to wait a minute. Penny, can you bring up GPS? I've got to know exactly where Scott and Megan are."

"F.A.B.," she replied. A few seconds later, she said, "I've got it, Jeff. Alan's working remotely to help me zoom in..."

"Hurry, hurry..."

They could hear machine gunfire and a surface-to-air mini missile sailed past One's red nose. Jeff brought her around and flew low over their site.

"There!" Penny cried, pointing at the ranch-style building as they screamed past it.

"What's that structure, Alan?"

"Files indicate it's some sort of water processing stop, like a halfway filter between the origin and destination. There's a good-sized water transport system beneath. At least four pipes six feet in diameter, with a few smaller ones running in between."

"Okay, so they're in there. How the hell do we get them out without hurting them?"

Penny shut off the holo-grid and leaned forward, peering out the side window. She gasped and pointed at something before her. "We won't have to, Jeff! They're running toward us! Megan and Scott, they're all right!"

Jeff circled around. Thunderbird One's guns lowered. Now that he knew where Scott was, he knew where he could safely do some damage.

4:40:12

Their descent stopped as the domed roof gave way to the flat roof of the rear portion of the temple. The skin John had burned off his legs and back on the way down made tears stream down his face in pain. Thoroughly frightened now, Esunge stayed still and quiet in John's arms as he walked up to the very edge of the roof. Guards surrounded the temple. Everywhere John looked there wasn't a chance he'd get away without being seen.

He looked down at Esunge who, miraculously, had fallen asleep against him. "We're all alone out here, little guy," he said, smoothing the child's dark hair before looking back out toward the jungle. "All alone."

4:42:35

"Thunderbird One from Thunderbird Two. What's going on over there?"

"Virgil, I'm glad you're here. We've got a total of twenty-one hostiles on the ground." Virgil could hear One firing in the background. "Megan and Scott were captured, but they've escaped. I'm trying to give them a chance to get some distance between them and the camp."

"We should be on you in five minutes, Dad. Brains has been trying to contact you."

"I know. I'm ignoring him. I'm not Scott. It's taking all my concentration just to fly this thing!"

Virgil chuckled.

"How's Gordon?"

"Tin-Tin stayed behind with him. He should be all right. He's got some tissue damage, but it doesn't look like anything vital was hit."

"Good," Jeff breathed. "Oh, shit...hang on, Virgil, Scott's in trouble!"

"What is it?"

But Jeff didn't answer.

"Dammit!" Virgil swore, pounding his fist down on the console in front of him. Thunderbird 2 beeped as though in protest. "Sorry, girl," he said absentmindedly.

He looked up and saw the sun glint off Thunderbird 1's hull, and the smoke rising into the air most likely as the result of her guns blasting something on the ground. Scott was in trouble. And he was still four minutes out, dammit!

He felt completely helpless.

4:44:50

"Scott, can you read me?"

"Yes, Father!" Scott had Megan's hand and was running for all he was worth, dragging her along behind him.

"I'm going to have to do a Roving Raven. They keep scattering, and I think I'm having a problem with the reactor here." A strange squawk emanated from the control panel as if to confirm his statement.

Scott skidded to a halt in the grass. Megan slammed into his back.

"Warn a girl!" she yelled.

"Sorry. Dad, are you sure that's the only way?"

"Virgil's still four minutes out, Scott. There are ten headed right at you from all points."

"Shit."

"What's a Roving Raven?"

"Better you don't ask, Meg," Scott replied. "All right, Dad. I'm ready. Bring her in."

"F.A.B."

"Scott?"

"What?" he said, wrapping his arm completely around her.

"Roving Raven? A little help, here."

"Dad's going to do a flyby and pick us up."

"Uh...in a rocket plane?"

"Yep."

"Uh..." She looked up into the sky where Thunderbird One was on slow approach toward them, guns blazing. "Isn't this a bit...risky?"

"So are ten hostiles with more weaponry than the National Guard. We've got to get out of here, Megan."

"I know, I know." She wiped the palms of her hands on her jeans before wrapping her arms around Scott's neck.

"Hey, you're bleeding!"

"Yeah, ropes'll do that to you."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"What, so you could kiss it better?"

Scott grinned as he looked up to gauge One's distance. He turned and was nose-to-nose with Megan. Before he could think twice about it, he moved in and planted a quick kiss on her lips.

"What was that for?"

"Luck," he replied with a wink.

Thunderbird One slowed to hover above them, barely moving, her VTOL rocket firing. It boomed in their ears, sending a blast of heat down with it.

"Shit, that's hot!" Megan exclaimed into his ear.

"Hang on!" he yelled, tightening his hold. He raised his arm just as three hostiles took aim. One foot reached the bottom rung, his free arm wrapping through the rope-like ladder further up. "Go, Dad, go!"

Thunderbird 2's VTOL fired again and she began to rise. Scott heard the thrusters come to life.

_Come on, Dad..._

Megan buried her head in the crook of his neck. She'd forgotten to tell him she was afraid of heights.

Three shots were fired. Scott cried out in pain. His foot slipped from the bottom rung as Thunderbird One rose higher and higher.

"Scott!" Megan screamed.

They were so far up now that the hostiles looked like ants.

"What is it!" Jeff's voice came through Scott's watch. "Megan? Scott!"

"Help!" Megan cried as she and Scott began to fall. "HELP!"

4:59:58

4:59:59

5:00:00


	10. Hour Ten

**Hour Ten**

_The following takes place between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m._

5:00:08

Scott's arm intertwined through the ladder was the only thing keeping them from falling to their deaths. Megan's breath caught in her throat as she swung her arm away from Scott's neck and grabbed hold of one side of the ladder. She tried to look down and see what had happened, why Scott had almost fallen, but vertigo took over. Her head began to spin, her vision blurring. With her right hand, she tightened her hold around Scott's neck, knuckles turning white on her left as she gripped the ladder even harder.

The arm Scott had through the ladder began to slip.

Megan screamed. "Jeff! Jeff, can you hear me? Help us! Please!"

5:01:55

"Thunderbird One from Thunderbird Two!"

"I'm here, Virgil!"

"What's going on over there?"

"Best I can figure from Megan is they're slipping. I don't know why. Can you see from where you are?"

"Hang on." Virgil turned on 2's external camera and the video monitor on his control panel changed to the outside view. He zoomed the picture in and was able to see pretty good detail on what was going on below Thunderbird One.

"Jesus!"

"Virgil? What is it?"

"Scott doesn't look conscious, Dad! They're hanging on by a thread!"

"Dammit...and the reactor's fluctuating. I have to shut her down and switch to the conventional engines...and I have to do it fast!"

"Dad! You've got to get out of there! There are hostiles approaching and I can't get close enough to fire without hitting Scott and Megan!"

Jeff kicked the thrusters into gear and moved as quickly as he dared. Virgil swooped in behind him, guns blazing.

"Jeff! Help us! He's slipping, I—I can't hold him!"

"Did you hear that, Virgil?"

"Yeah, but...you can't set them down, shit, there's more coming in from the west!"

"This reactor is unstable, Virgil. I think there might be a leak. And if it _is_ leaking when I switch over..."

Virgil heard Penelope gasp in dismay. "I know, Dad. I know. Dammit, get them out of there!"

"Virgil...I want you to try something. It's the only option we have left."

"What is it?"

"I want you to come in nose-to-nose and beneath me. You're going to have to catch Megan and Scott."

Virgil frowned. One false move and 1's VTOL could blow 2 all to hell.

_Scott...oh, God..._

"F.A.B., Dad."

Virg swooped down again as Thunderbird One left the area, letting his guns blast as many hostiles as he could. Damn, what were they, multiplying? No matter how many he got, it seemed there were always more to take their place.

He followed Thunderbird 1 and flew well over the top of her. He then slowed, switched to hover mode and turned until the two ships were facing each other. Thunderbird 2's VTOL rockets fired and he lowered her until the top of the cockpit was slightly below the bottom of the ladder.

From here he could see Megan had wrapped her legs around his brother. She clung to his neck with one arm, the ladder with the other. She looked up and saw him. He could read her lips.

HELP US

_Hang on, Megan._

"I'm in place, Father."

"Get them off that ladder _now_!"

_Please, God, let this work._

"Moving in."

He pushed Two forward slowly, her VTOLs still firing to keep her from stalling out. The panel behind him opened with the push of a button. He watched as Megan and Scott disappeared above his cockpit window.

_Let me hold her steady. Just this once if no other time._

Thunderbird Two was beneath her quarry. He put her on auto-pilot to hover, rose from his seat and was under the hatch in the blink of an eye.

_Thank God. They're right above me._

And from here, he could finally see exactly what was wrong with his brother.

_Oh, my God!_

"He's been shot!"

5:16:22

Megan looked down. "Virgil!" she cried. "Help!"

He cupped his hands around his mouth. "Megan! It's okay, you can let Scott go! I'll catch him!"

She nodded and reached up to where his arm was still threaded through the rungs. She tugged at it, but their combined weight meant it was stuck fast.

"I can't get him loose!" she yelled down. "His arm is stuck!"

Virgil disappeared for a moment. When he returned, it was on a platform that raised up until he was, for all intents and purposes, standing atop the hull of Thunderbird 2.

"Wait...if you're up here, who's flying that thing?"

"She's flying herself!" he yelled back. "Come on, jump down! I'll get you in and then I'll go after Scott!"

She saw Virgil's eyes follow something from where they hung down to the hull of the ship, but couldn't tell what he was looking at. The distance she had to drop, maybe?

"I—I can't, Virgil! I'm...I'm afraid of heights!"

_Best to treat her like I'd treat Tin-Tin. Nice and smooth. Calm her down._

"Honey, don't worry about it, I'm right beneath you! I won't let you fall!"

_Come on, Megan, I have to get Scott off there!_

"Okay! I'm coming down!"

Slowly she shimmied down Scott's still-limp form until she was about ten feet above Virgil's head...as far down as she could get.

"Come on, Megan! Drop!"

She closed her eyes and let go.

Virgil watched her falling toward him. His arms stretched out.

Like a scene from a movie, she landed perfectly in place, barely upsetting his stance.

"How'd you do that?"

"Practice," he grinned. "Now, hang on."

He barked some command into his watch and the panel they were standing on lowered into the cockpit.

"Strap yourself into one of those passenger seats," he said. "I've got to go after Scott."

"But how? You can't reach him that high up."

Ignoring her, Virgil hit a button on 2's control panel. "Thunderbird One, switch to my comm. On my signal, have Penny release the ladder."

"F.A.B."

Virgil returned to the moving panel. "Stay right there," he ordered, pointing at where she was already strapped in.

Megan nodded, resisting the urge to bite her nails.

Virgil waited until the panel was flush with the hull again before moving. One had moved back slightly, so he positioned himself directly beneath the ladder. He raised his watch to his face.

"Okay, Dad. Let it go!"

"Penny, release the ladder!"

Virgil's body tensed.

Suddenly the ladder...and Scott...began plummeting toward him.

He caught Scott, but the fifty or so feet of ladder from above skittered off 2's slippery hull and tumbled over the side. Virgil knelt with Scott, trying desperately to untangle his brother's arm from the now-twisted ladder.

"Come on, come on."

_Shit, this isn't going fast enough._

"Dad, you're clear!" he said into the watch. "Get out of here!"

"F.A.B."

He heard the rear thrusters kick in and felt the heat of her engines as she roared away.

_God, Dad...Penny...what if One's reactor is already too unstable...what if..._

Can't think about that now. Have to save Scott.

He heard the sound before he felt the impact. Something came screaming toward Thunderbird Two. When it exploded near her tail, she rocked.

There was nothing for Virgil to hold onto.

Nothing at all.

5:28:20

"Goddammit," John said softly as he looked down at the ground for the umpteenth time. "They have to know I'm up here. I mean, they caught Khai and he had a rope."

Esunge stirred, but didn't wake.

"And then there's you," he said, shifting the boy's weight in his arms. "It wasn't my idea to take you, but...I can't very well leave you here on the roof, can I?"

John shook his head and headed for the corner of the roof.

_There's only so long I can stay up here. Eventually they'll find me._

He stared down at the stone beneath his bare feet. Stared because it felt...uneven somehow. He looked closer. Then he got down and one knee and looked even _closer_.

"What's this?"

His finger traced the outline of one particularly large rectangular chunk of the roof.

_It doesn't seem to fit with the others._

John frowned as he gave the area a once-over.

_Doesn't look like anything around here except an out-of-place rock._

Suddenly one of the panels he'd opened earlier around the perimeter of the open roof began to move. He rose to his feet as a rope started unraveling down over the edge of the opening.

_The panels._

John looked down at the stone beneath his feet.

_The panels!_

He ran across the roof, scampering up the dome to the small digital keyboard he'd popped out earlier. Kneeling before it, his face fell.

_Chinese. Even if one of these button combinations __**does**__ open that stone over there, how'm I going to figure out which one it is?_

The rope nearby stopped unraveling. He heard shouts from below and suddenly the winch started turning in the opposite direction...pulling whomever was at the other end _up_.

_Shit!_

John gasped. Why...why the hell did he feel like he was about to be struck by lightning?

_John, hear me._

Well, that certainly wasn't Gordon.

Kyrano?

_Yes. You must listen. View the panel as numbered keys one through nine._

Okay, this is weird. But I'll go with it.

John shrugged.

Like I have a choice right now.

_One through three, bottom row. Seven through nine, top. Understood?_

Yes.

_Key the following sequence: four, four, two, seven, nine, nine._

John pressed the buttons in the order he'd been told. There was a loud scraping sound from the corner of the roof.

It's working!

_Yes. It is an escape route._

Thanks, Kyrano.

John ran to the corner. He could hear a voice...getting closer...it was Ebony.

The stone moved so slowly.

Ebony's voice came closer.

And closer.

John held his breath.

"John Tracy!"

The stone wasn't quite open all the way.

Holding the baby tight, he squeezed between the stone and the roof.

_Please don't let us fall._

5:38:23

It had happened so fast. _Too_ fast.

Scott, the ladder and Virgil all slid over the side of Thunderbird Two...right onto her wing. The auto-stabilizer kept her from crashing to the ground, but Virgil's head slammed into the hard metal of the wing, rendering him unconscious. Scott slid to the edge. 2 flailed a bit, and Scott's body looked as though it might just tumble over the side.

But Megan had thought fast. No, she was no pilot, but she'd seen which button Virgil had pushed to communicate with his father. She unstrapped herself from the passenger seat as soon as the plane stopped rocking. Rushing forward, she punched the button.

"Help! Jeff, can you hear me?"

"Megan? What are you doing on this line? Where's Virgil?"

"Something happened, he's up on top, he was bringing Scott in but we got hit by something, I don't know what and this thing tilted back and forth and now he's...I don't know, I'm scared, Jeff! I don't know what to do!"

"Okay, Megan," Jeff said, his voice suddenly a mask of calm. "Listen to me. Is Thunderbird 2 stable?"

"Yes. It's not rocking anymore, and we look like we're sitting in place up here."

"Okay, that's good, Megan. Did Virgil use the panel to go up onto the hull for Scott?"

"Yes, yes, the one that raises."

"Okay, there's a control button for that over near where the panel rests when it comes down. Do you see a series of yellow buttons?"

"Yes, I do!"

"Push the one on the left. That will bring the panel down. Can you do that for me?"

"Yes, I can. Hang on."

Megan went to the wall and pushed the button. Sure enough, the panel started coming down.

"Jeff, he's not on it! Neither is Scott! Where are they?"

"Megan, I can't come back there right now. If I don't get this engine switched soon, Penny and I are going to blow all to hell."

Megan gulped.

"Listen to me. I need you to do _exactly_ what I tell you. These are my two oldest boys. I'm counting on you, Megan. Can you help me?"

She nodded, forgetting for a moment that he couldn't see her. "Yes," she said. "I'll do anything I can."

"Okay, step up onto the panel and press the second button from the right. It will take you up to the hull. I need you to tell me what you see when you get up there. You'll have to come back down to the cockpit to report."

"Okay."

She could hear the strain in his voice. She couldn't imagine his predicament. Her heart raced. She was terrified. Terrified of doing something wrong. Stepping onto the panel, she took a deep breath and pressed the second button.

Remembering not to look down was foremost on her mind. She looked around as her head broke even with the hull.

_Wait a minute...where are they?_

Megan turned in a complete circle. She couldn't see Scott or Virgil _anywhere._

Then she heard it. Over the side.

_Over the side?_

A scraping sound. She took a tentative step, but the hull was slippery...that's when she saw the ground.

_Oh, God. Oh, God, no._

"Scott!" she cried, her eyes shutting tight. "Scott! Virgil! Where are you?"

"M-Megan!" she heard from over the side.

_Holy shit!_

Megan got down on her belly and scooted over as far as she dared. With nothing to hold onto, and the ground seeming way too far away, her breath started coming fast.

Then she saw a hand.

"Scott!"

She reached out and grabbed it. There was another panel right next to her other hand. She had nothing to hold onto, no way to help pull Scott up without pulling herself right over the edge. She looked at the buttons. They were all yellow. Praying that International Rescue saw fit to use the same scheme on every panel, she pressed the first one.

As she'd hoped, the panel started descending into the cockpit. She grabbed the open edge of the hole it left, holding on for dear life as Scott struggled up, pulling mercilessly on her hand.

It felt like her arm was going to come clean out of its socket. She groaned at the pressure, but managed to get her legs over the opening, swinging them to give her leverage to pull Scott up bit by bit.

That's when the second missile hit.

5:56:53

"Jeff, what's happening?"

"I don't know, something's wrong back there with 2. I'm trying to talk Megan through it but she's scared to death."

"Well, it's not as if she does this sort of thing for a living."

"I do, Penny. And _I'm_ scared enough for all of us."

She couldn't believe it. Jeff Tracy admitting fear?

"It's bad, isn't it?"

Jeff looked down at her as she took a seat below him and to his left.

"Penny, if there's a leak in this reactor, when I switch her over to the conventional fuel tanks, Thunderbird 1 won't make it."

Penny's eyes widened.

"_We_ won't make it."

"Then you'd better do it quickly. I detest long good-byes."

"I wish you'd gone down the ladder with them, Penelope."

She rose from her seat and placed a hand on his leg. "Jeff, I'm your wife. If you go...I go. Never a question of that."

He smiled. The kind of smile that reaches your eyes. In spite of what was happening, he knew he was the luckiest man on Earth. "I love you, Penny."

"And I love _you_, Jeff. Now do it. I'm staying right here."

He nodded and took a deep breath. His finger hovered over the switch that would reroute power to come from the regular rocket fuel One carried instead of the nuclear reactor. An indicator light on the panel before him blinked in rapid succession.

Jeff took one last look at Penny...and flipped the switch.

5:59:58

5:59:59

6:00:00


	11. Hour Eleven

**Hour Eleven**

_The following takes place between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m._

6:00:17

Thunderbird One lurched slightly, but her engines continued humming as though nothing out of the ordinary were at hand. Penelope opened her eyes and looked up at Jeff. Jeff opened his eyes and looked down at Penny.

"Ha _ha_!" he crowed, smacking his hand down on the arm of the chair. Penny grinned. She thought how it looked like ten years had just melted from his face. "Good old Brains," Jeff said, reaching a hand down.

Penelope grabbed it. "Yes. I shall personally have to thank him for making Thunderbird One so...perfect."

"We all will. All right, Penny, back in your seat. This day isn't over yet."

"Where are we off to?"

"First, to Thunderbird 2. Then I've got a date to keep."

Penelope frowned as she strapped herself into a chair below.

_Date? Who on Earth with?_

6:03:20

"Aaaaaaa!" Megan cried. "Scott!"

Thunderbird Two rolled to her right side and slightly forward...and she didn't stop. Megan slid back through the hole and slammed down into the cockpit. Scott flipped legs-over-head and came crashing down on top of her. His arm was still tangled in the ladder, but that was the least of his pains as his eyes rolled back in his head and he was unconscious once more.

_I can't breathe...I can't breathe!_

Megan pushed her arms up under Scott's chest and heaved with all her might. He flopped unceremoniously onto 2's cockpit floor and she half-pushed herself up on one elbow, gasping for air. She'd had the wind knocked out of her and Scott landing on her to boot.

She reached over and checked his pulse, thankfully noting it was strong. Then she looked down along the length of his body until her eyes reached something that made her gasp. Blood covered the portion of his uniform just above the boot of his right leg. She crawled over to him and gently pulled the boot off. That's when she noticed it had a hole in it. A bullet hole. He'd been shot. A worried frown creased her forehead as she examined the wound. Though not large, a good chunk of skin was missing and he was bleeding pretty badly.

She looked around but saw nothing in the cockpit to help. She had to assume they had first aid kits...that's when the boot rolled past her, skittering down the cockpit floor...

_**Down**_ _the cockpit floor?_

She pulled herself up on the pilot's chair and looked out the window.

"Oh, my God!" she breathed. "Oh, my _God!_" She got down on her knees next to Scott. "Wake up! Oh, God, wake _up_! We're crashing, Scott! Help me!"

But he didn't blink an eyelash. Frantically, Megan looked around the cockpit again and realized someone was missing.

"Virgil!" She followed the ladder up through the hatch with her eyes. "Virgil!" she called out. "Virgil!"

_He fell. Oh, my God. He fell off and died!_

Tears filled her eyes. He and Scott were so close. She remembered how upset he'd been when he'd been in danger before. The tears spilled over onto her cheeks.

_I'm so sorry, Virgil. I'm so sorry I didn't save you._

Must be how they felt on every rescue where someone died, she reasoned.

_I'm sorry I'm not Super Woman._

She went back to the cockpit window. They were sort of...drifting...not falling rapidly. Still, they weren't hovering, the ground was growing ever nearer and Megan sincerely hoped she'd have the decency not to pee her pants.

Then again, if they crashed, that wouldn't matter, would it?

6:06:31

"Ah, Jesus Christ!" Virgil cursed as the ladder twisted him around and around. He continued his climb upwards...or sideways, to be more accurate, since the ladder was nearly _next_ to his 'bird thanks to her descent.

"Scott!" he yelled.

_What if he didn't make it?_

Virg had only awakened in time to see Scott's legs flip up over the hull. He'd barely had enough time to grab the ladder with both hands before rolling off the back of the wing.

_What if he's died?_

Wait a minute. If he...then...who had the ladder?

_Where's Megan?_

"MEGAN!" he yelled as the ladder twisted again. He closed his eyes as he spun toward the hull. "Aaaaa!"

THUMP!

_That's gonna leave a bruise._

He kept climbing, but it was slow-going and his head was throbbing like the 76 trombones had taken up residence between his ears.

And the ground was getting closer.

_I'll never make it._

He started to climb faster.

6:08:59

"Thunderbird One to Thunderbird Two. How's it going over there?" There was no response. A frown replaced the more placid look of moments before. "Thunderbird Two, come in!"

"Jeff?"

He started. "Megan?"

"Yes! Help! We're crashing!"

"You're _what_?"

"We got hit by something, someone shot at us and we rolled and we're...like...freefalling or something!"

"Where's Virgil?"

"I don't know! Scott and I fell inside, but Scott's out, he's been shot in the leg and Virgil's nowhere except..."

"Megan? What is it?"

"The ladder..."

"The what?"

"The ladder!" she cried. "Hang on!"

"Megan? Megan!"

Penelope and Jeff exchanged looks as he kicked One into the next gear.

6:10:25

Megan ran over to the yellow buttons, slamming the butt of her hand into the second one. Slowly the platform raised her up, but at the angle they were at, she had already started sliding before the it was flush with the hull. Suddenly there was a strange sound coming from the gears, and she realized the ladder had stopped the platform from continuing, though the gears were fervently trying to complete their task in spite of this. It gave her about an inch to brace her toes against as she grabbed hold of the ladder and gave it a tug.

It was heavy. Way too heavy to just be swinging in the breeze.

"Virgil!" she cried out. "VIRGIL!"

When she heard his voice calling back, her stomach flopped.

_He's alive! Yes!_

But then she saw the ground. Ever nearer...ever nearer. She closed her eyes, her stomach now feeling like it blasting through her esophagus was going to be a pretty sure thing.

_Virgil could save us from crashing! But...can I get him in time?_

She pulled. Faster and faster. Harder and harder. But it just didn't seem to be enough. She wasn't nearly as strong as Scott or Virgil themselves and her arms were already hurting terribly.

_I have to try. For Scott and Virgil...for Jeff...I __**have**__ to try._

6:16:16

John slid a few feet, scraping his already torn-up skin on the stone sides of the small chute he found himself in. Trying not to cry out, he crushed Esunge to his body and then suddenly his toes caught on something in the chute's side and they jerked to a stop.

The child whimpered.

"Shhh, it's okay," John soothed. He reached out and found there were small iron rungs soldered into the rock.

_Yes!_

"Okay, can you hang on to me like a monkey?" he whispered. Esunge hesitated for only a moment before wrapping his arms around John's neck and burying his head beneath his chin.

"Good boy. Here we go."

John heard the shouts above him. He wondered if anyone up on the roof...Ebony included...knew where the chute led.

He wished _he_ did.

6:19:14

Jeff and Penelope closed in on Thunderbird 2's position. Jeff's face was taut with worry as the blip on his radar slowly moved toward the ground.

"At this rate of descent they've only got another twenty minutes at best."

"How can it fall so slowly, Jeff?" Penny asked. "I'm rather glad it's not, but why isn't it just taking a nosedive?"

"She's apparently got three VTOL rockets still working, but without the fourth, and with no one at the controls to compensate, it's like she's pushing herself sideways. I would bet whatever hit them knocked her just enough off-kilter that she also started losing altitude."

"It almost looks like a parachutist freefalling," Penny observed as she peered through a side window. "Peaceful."

Jeff harrumphed as heat sources appeared on his radar imager. "Strap in, Penny. In order for Thunderbird 2 to have a chance, I've got to get rid of those bastards on the ground. One more missile and peaceful will be the _last_ thing 2 looks."

"F.A.B."

Jeff turned One's nose at a forty-five degree angle and opened the gunnery hatch. "Shoot at _my_ sons, will you," he growled as his finger pressed the firing button.

6:22:34

"Pull me up!"

"I can't!" Megan cried, tears streaming down her face. Her arms were so tired, her hands so cramped...she could barely even hang onto the ladder.

"Just a few more feet!" Virgil called back up.

She still couldn't see him...only hear him.

"I'm almost to the wing!"

Then suddenly the platform started descending. She pressed her feet harder into the edge of the hull, trying desperately to keep her balance.

"Megan!"

_Scott!_

The moment of surprise was all it took. She lost her foothold and fell through the open hatch, her cramped hands still holding the ladder tightly. There was a loud _OOMPH_ as she landed right on Scott. The two went tumbling into the bulkhead on the other side of the cockpit. They heard a loud yelp and then a long wailing cry as something hit the hull above. Both scrambled to their feet.

"Virgil!" they cried in unison.

There was a bit of scraping...and then sliding...and before Scott could even make it to the platform, a shadow loomed and he was knocked on his ass for a second time.

Megan held onto the pilot's chair as she gawked at them. Laughter threatened to bubble forth no matter how she tried to keep it in.

For there on the floor of 2's cockpit were two grown men hopelessly tangled in a rescue ladder...and looking none too happy about it.

"Get your leg off me...!"

"Move your head...!"

"Ow! Dammit, that leg's been shot!"

"Untangle your damn arm!"

"If I could, I would!"

"Scott!"

"Virgil!"

Megan couldn't control it anymore. She just started to laugh.

Virgil and Scott stopped and gaped at her.

"What's so funny?" Scott asked.

Virgil shrugged. "Don't ask me. She's _your_ girlfriend."

"My _what_?"

That stopped Megan's laughter but good.

"Ah, it worked," Virgil said calmly. "Now, Megan, are we still heading for the ground?"

Megan nodded dumbly, eyes wide.

"Then I think I need to speed this up a bit."

He produced a MacGyver-like Swiss Army knife from a pocket in the leg of his pants and swiftly cut through the sides of the ladder once and for all. Rising, he dropped the remainder of it on top of his brother as he fell into the pilot's chair. Virgil jerked the yoke to the left, stabilizing Two to be parallel to the earth below, then punched several buttons to account for the missing VTOL.

"I'm going to have to land her and see how bad the damage is," he said, all business now. "Thunderbird Two to Thunderbird One."

6:31:28

"Virgil!"

"Yeah, Father. Listen, Two was hit by no less than two missiles. I've lost one VTOL and the tail's acting a little clunky. I need to set down."

"F.A.B. I think I've cleared most of the hostiles, but I would recommend putting a substantial amount of distance between us and them before you try it. Maybe another continent."

Virgil chuckled in spite of his headache. "Any preference?"

"Yes," Jeff replied, his tone suddenly serious. "Malaysia."

"Malaysia?" Virgil exclaimed, hearing Penelope echo his astonishment. "But why?"

"How is Scott? Megan said he'd been shot?"

"I'll live, Dad!" Scott said from behind Virgil on the floor. "Why Malaysia?"

"I'll tell you when we arrive. I'll be making a pit stop first at Penny's, but we should still beat you there. Think you can make it, Virgil?"

"I think so."

"F.A.B. I'll give you coordinates as soon as I've worked it out. Thunderbird One out."

"Virgil?"

"Yeah, Scott?"

"Why is Dad flying Thunderbird One?"

"Well, what'd you want him to do, leave it there for those goons to grab?"

Scott sighed, then winced as he moved his leg. Megan scowled at him. "I'll live, Dad?" she mimicked. "What, do you guys keep spare legs in one of these compartments, too?"

"I'm fine."

"My ass, you are. You're bleeding all over the place."

"_Tell_ me you have something under that leg," Virgil said, eyes staring straight out the cockpit window. "_Tell_ me you're not bleeding all over my baby's floor."

"Your brother got shot and you're worrying about your _floor_?"

"Yeah, I got shot and you're worried about your _floor_?" Scott repeated, though his tone seemed light.

"Well, fine, then. _You_ can clean it up when we get home while _I_ take a swim."

"You know, Virg, sometimes I wonder who you care about more: your family or your precious Thunderbird."

"That's rich coming from you, Mr. My-Thunderbird-is-the-fastest-one."

"Well, it is," Scott pouted.

For Megan, it was like watching a tennis match. She couldn't believe these two! "Medical kit?" she asked.

"That doesn't mean it's the best."

"It's not the 'bird that makes it the best. It's her pilot."

Megan rolled her eyes. "Med...i...cal k_it_?"

"Oh, please!" Virgil retorted. "Just because you were in the Air Force doesn't make you a better pilot than me. _Nobody_ can make Two sing like I can."

"A _real_ 'bird doesn't _sing_."

"No, it croaks!" Megan cried, rising to her feet. Scott and Virgil stopped and turned to look at her. "Good Christ, people! _Medical kit_!"

"Well, you could've just _asked_," Scott said, frowning.

"I _did!_ But you two were too busy one-upping each other..._honestly_!"

Virgil laughed. "Back there," he thumbed over his shoulder. "Second panel, top right."

"What's so funny?" she asked, heading for the indicated compartment.

Virgil looked down and to his left, winking at his brother. "Just blowing off steam, Megan."

She turned just in time to see a look pass between them.

_Ohhhhhhhhh Blowing off steam. Got it._

She smiled and knelt to work on Scott's leg.

"What do you suppose is up with Dad and Malaysia?" Scott asked as he watched Megan cut the leg of his pants away.

"Well, now that we're all out of danger, I'm guessing it has to do with John. We know this Ebony had Gaat's child, and that John's being held at Gaat's temple."

"You don't think Dad's planning on storming the place? It's got to be _crawling_ with guards! That's assuming he can even _find_ it!"

"I don't know _what_ he's planning," Virgil said, turning to check the readouts on his control panel. "I just hope whatever it is, _works_."

"I know," Scott replied softly. "Right now we can only hope John's okay."

6:43:46

At the moment, John considered he was doing fairly well.

Aside from the fact that the chute had finally changed into a tunnel that was only _just_ big enough for him to squeeze through.

And aside from the fact that he had to crawl on skinned elbows and knees.

Not to mention having to follow a baby who hadn't been _changed_ in...quite some time.

Esunge crawled ahead of him, giggling at the game he thought he was playing, the game John had _convinced_ him he was playing.

_It's strange that he hasn't once asked for his mother._

"Esunge, don't you know how to go potty yet?" John asked as a particularly gnarly whiff passed his nose.

"Po-tty?"

"Never mind. Just keep going."

_How the hell is Dad going to get me out of here? Even if he brings Scott and Virg, they'd never get through all those guards. Shit, that's even if they could find this place...which they can't. How would they be able to? Nobody knows where it is._

John winced as his knee struck a particularly pointy piece of rock.

_Nobody._

They continued their slow crawl.

_Come on, John, snap out of it! You're a Tracy!_

I'm a Tracy, all right. A Tracy that's slept with the woman who kidnapped him!

_It wasn't your fault. She had you brainwashed._

I shouldn't lose myself _that_ much from some woman looking into my eyes.

_She has powers. Powers you cannot resist._

Wait a minute. That wasn't my inner voice.

John stopped. "Hang on, Esunge." The baby kept going. "Stop!" He _did_ stop, finally, turning to sit on his butt and wait for his game-playing friend.

Who's in my head?

_It is Kyrano._

Kyrano! What happened to Gordon?

_He was injured. Tin-Tin is taking care of him. He will be...all right._

Oh, thank God. I wondered where he'd gone.

_Are you well, Mr. John?_

No, Kyrano. I'm hurting. Bad. The kid and I are in some sort of tunnel.

_Kid?_

Yeah. Gaat's kid, Esunge.

_No. John, you must not have the child with you. His mother can locate him!_

She can _what_?

_He is the child of Belah, my half-brother, and of Ebony, also related to the House of T'ang._

T'ang? Wait, I know that name! Khai was trying to get Esunge to the House of T'ang, he said!

_He was...stealing the child?_

Yes! That's why he freed me! To help him!

Esunge started to babble.

_Then...if Khai was working with them, the House of T'ang must know of your presence._

I don't get it. What's this House of T'ang?

_No time. I must meditate further._

But what about me and the baby?

_You must leave the child, John. Ebony __**will**__ find you. She will find you both._

John reached ahead and touched Esugnke's leg. The baby cooed, crawled back to him and, after bonking their heads together in the pitch black, placed a sloppy kiss on John's forehead.

"I have to get you back to your mommy, Esunge," John said, wiping his forehead with his arm. "It's too dangerous for me to keep you here."

"No!" Esunge said forcefully. "Stay Monkey, stay Monkey."

"Monkey! Now I get it! Your middle name is Mongke, it sounds just like Monkey, doesn't it?" He was so damn cute, but still... "Esunge, you _can't_ stay with me. You don't _belong_ to me. Your mommy's worried."

"No mommy! Bad mommy!" Esunge began to cry. "Bad!"

"Yeah, well, she's bad to me, but I'm sure she's not bad to you."

"No!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. "Mommy bad! Mommy bad!" He leaned over, placing his hands on the bottom of the tunnel. Suddenly it all began to shake.

_Shit! What is that, an earthquake?_

"Bad Mommy, bad Mommy, bad Mommy!" Esunge shrieked.

"Shhhh, kid, come on, with all that wailing, she's _sure_ to hear you!"

The tunnel kept on shaking. Esunge kept on screaming.

"All right, all _right_!" John shouted. "I won't take you back, I won't take you _back_!"

"No bad Mommy?"

"No. No bad Mommy. You can stay with me, okay? For now."

And just like that, the shaking stopped.

John's eyes widened. "Esunge, did you do that? Did you make the ground shake like that?"

"Shakey, shakey!"

"Oh, my God."

_What in the __**hell**__ have I gotten myself into?_

John heard a cracking sound above his head.

_What the...?_

Then another. Then another one beneath his hand.

"Oh, no. Esunge? Come here. Come here now." The child crawled up to him. John grabbed him and slid him beneath his body. "Hang on to me, Esunge. Like before, remember? Monkey game."

"Mon-key!" Esunge chirped, wrapping his arms around John's neck.

John crawled like he'd never crawled before. His knees slammed into the rock floor over and over and over again, his hands slapped into sharp pieces of rock...but John ignored the pain until they were nearly numb.

Esunge giggled as the rock around them continued to crack. John knew he had no time left.

He was right.

6:57:15

Jeff landed Thunderbird One smoothly behind Penelope's mansion. The two disembarked, with Penelope on her way into the house for some fresh clothing and Jeff on his way into the massive garage.

International Rescue kept many things hidden on the Creighton-Ward estate, not the least of which was special nuclear rebuilder that could be used for the reactor in either Thunderbird One _or_ Thunderbird Two in the event of an emergency. All he had to do was release the atoms it contained into One's engine and within twenty minutes the reactor would theoretically be working well enough to allow them to take off and fly on nuclear power. The rest of the rebuilding would happen as they went.

Theoretically.

Jeff palmed the small container and started back toward the garage door.

He almost jumped out of his skin when he heard Penny scream.

6:59:58

6:59:59

7:00:00


	12. Hour Twelve

**Hour Twelve**

_The following takes place between 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m._

7:01:01

"Penny!" Jeff yelled, stuffing the small box in his pocket and running toward the mansion. "Penelope!" He ran inside, stopping in every room as he went. There was no sign of her. "PENNY!" he yelled again. Over and over, calling her name.

He ran up the mansion's huge staircase. "PENNY!" Left, down the hall to their bedroom. "Penny?" Open the door. No one there. Next room, the one he used to use before they'd gotten together. Open the door. Look inside. "Penelope?"

Heart beat faster, faster.

_God, Penny, where are you?_

Faster...faster...

Open the next door. This used to be...Parker's room. _Poor Parker._ "Penny!"

_Where the hell __**are**__ you?_

7:07:22

Penelope had gone to her room, entered her spacious walk-in closet and chosen clothing appropriate for the dirty work she was certain she'd be involved in some time in the very near future. There was no time for a shower, but a lady could at least sponge herself down, she reasoned.

It had been during this most private of moments in her bathroom when she'd seen him. And screamed.

It couldn't have been him.

She quickly toweled herself dry and threw on the blue jeans and rather plain black blouse she'd selected. Throwing on her socks and shoes, she raced out of her bedroom.

The hall was deserted.

_I saw him. I know I did._

But it couldn't be him. I just _couldn't_!

_Penelope, you've gone off your rocker._

No doubt.

Still, she couldn't just leave it at that. She ran down the hall, checking the room next to hers and then Parker's old room. Perhaps he was in there? But no. No one. It was empty. Where, then?

Penny made it down to the end of the hall. There was a room there. A room she'd not opened the door to...or even _thought_ of, really...in many, many years. How many years...what, twenty-five now? Thirty?

But something compelled her to open the door. She had to have a look inside. She had to know...

Quietly she opened the right side of the double doors. The room was dark, but enough light shone from the window to illuminate shadows that held memories. Painful memories. She picked her way around draped objects, knowing instinctively what lay beneath each sheet, remembering how her father had done all of this for her mother before she'd even come home.

She was halfway into the room when she heard a noise to her left. It was coming from behind a large sheet-covered item.

"Hello?" she said softly.

A figure rose from behind it. When she saw who it was, Penny gasped and very nearly fainted.

"It can't be!"

7:12:40

Jeff was almost to the end of the hall when he heard the exclamation. "Penelope?" he said, pushing the door open further. He'd never been in this room before. In fact, he'd never even thought to ask what it contained.

He saw her standing over to his left and nearer the back of the room. She was white as a ghost, her eyes wide in disbelief. "Penny? What is it?" He hurried to her side and gaped openly at what he saw.

_It can't be._

"Parker?" he asked, his voice an octave higher than normal.

"Yes, Sir."

"Parker!" Penelope shrieked. She ran forward and embraced her old friend in a bear hug. "Parker, oh, my God! How...? What...? We thought you were dead! Oh, Parker!"

Jeff swallowed hard as Parker returned the hug. He waited until Penelope had backed away slightly to move forward and shake Parker's hand.

"I thought you were a ghost when I saw you earlier!" she said, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Oh, Parker, I saw you take several bullets in the chest! What happened? How is this even possible?"

"You should never h'underestimate one h'of Mister Brains' bulletproof vests!" Parker said with a smile, producing said vest from where it had lain near his feet on the floor. "I h'only just h'arrived, milady."

"Why on Earth were you wearing that vest just ferrying Penny and John to the Isle of Muck?"

"Mister Brains 'ad h'asked me to test i'out for 'im, Sir. 'e was particularly concerned h'over 'ow 'eavy it may be. h'I must say, Sir, h'it's not 'eavy a' awl."

Jeff laughed as he took the vest and inspected it. "You must've gotten some serious bruising," he commented, holding up the back of the vest for all to see. "Most of these indentations are at least half an inch deep!"

"Oh, yes, Sir, h'I did bruise quite badly, and," he continued with his eyes turned to the floor, "h'I'm ashamed to say that's why h'I passed out, Sir. They lef' me for dead, h'I would h'imagine. h'I'm very sorry, milady."

"Oh, Parker, don't you worry about a thing like that. I'm just ever so glad you aren't dead!" Penny replied, hugging him again.

"h'I must say, milady, h'I'm finding meself h'awfully glad on tha' one, too!"

Jeff's watch communicator chose that moment to beep.

7:24:18

"Jeff?"

"Yes, Brains. You devil, you!"

"Uh...e-excuse me?"

"Not only have you saved us with your design on Thunderbird One's fuel switch-off, but you saved Parker's life as well!"

"P-Parker? Y-You mean he's not dead?" Brains asked with a smile.

"No, he isn't. Your bulletproof vest saved him, Brains. Any news on Kyrano?"

"N-No, Sir. Kyrano has remained unconscious. All vital signs are normal, but I have noticed his brain a-activity seems to i-increase a-and then decrease at o-odd times."

"Hmm. You think he'll be all right, though?"

"Y-Yes, Sir. A-And I've just had a-an update from Tin-Tin. She said Gordon's back required minimal, uh, surgery a-and some skin grafting from his leg to replace what he lost due to the, uh, laser rifle shots. They're e-expecting he should be a-able to walk out of there, uh, tomorrow."

"Wonderful news. Thank you, Brains."

"Jeff, I'm going to tend to Parker. Let us know when you're ready to leave."

"I will, Penny." Jeff laid a hand on Parker's shoulder. "It's good to have you back."

"Thank you, Sir." With that, he and Penelope left the room.

"Brains, what are you not saying? I can always tell."

"Well, uh, Jeff, I-I believe I have found several connections where the attack in England, John's kidnapping, Penelope's kidnapping, Ebony, the Hood and their child are concerned."

"That's an awful lot of connections, Brains," Jeff replied as he started to walk out of the room. He stopped and frowned at a spot where one of the sheets had been pulled back slightly from the object it covered. He moved forward and pulled the sheet the rest of the way off.

He couldn't help the small gasp of surprise. It was a crib. A baby's crib.

"Jeff?"

"I..."

"What is it?"

"A crib."

"A what?"

"Crib."

"I-In Lady Penelope's mansion?"

"Yes. I've never been in this room before. I didn't know what was in it." Jeff moved to the next object and pulled the sheet away.

It was a changing table.

The next sheet.

A rocking horse.

The next...

...a small pink dresser.

...a large wardrobe box containing...

"Baby clothes."

Brains shook his head. "That confirms what I found," he said quietly.

"What are you talking about, Brains?"

"Well, i-it appears as though the Hood chose Ebony for a reason other than her looks or susceptibility to his, uh, charms."

"Well?" Jeff said impatiently into the watch.

"I-It appears, Sir, that, uh, Ebony's mother...i-is Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward."

7:41:28

John went as fast as his injured limbs could move them, but it just wasn't fast enough. He heard it before he saw it. Crying out, he hunched over Esunge's body as the rock surrounding them cracked for the last time, then came crashing down upon them.

A large chunk of rock glanced off the back of his head. John roared in pain as he continued to be pelted. He could hear Esunge crying and screaming as well, but it was all he could do to keep the child sheltered, let alone try and comfort him.

_Not good, not good..._

The rocks and dirt began weighing on him.

_Have to stay on my hands and knees..._

If he didn't, he knew his weight would crush Esunge.

The baby wailed. John waited for the pelting to stop. When it did, he was surprised that he felt warmth on his back, as though exposed to open air. He coughed, the dust and dirt choking his mouth and nose.

Just that one movement brought the last, large piece of rock right down on his head.

7:47:12

"How're you doing now, Scott?" Virgil asked as he made a small course correction.

"Fine," Scott breathed. He was now strapped into a passenger seat behind his brother, the wound on his leg medicated and quite well-wrapped. He'd even changed into a clean uniform, and watched as Megan returned from cleaning up back in Two's sick bay. "How's your head, Virg?"

"The aspirin seems to be doing the trick, mostly."

"You probably have a concussion, Virgil," Megan interjected as she strapped herself into the other passenger seat. "You must have hit the wing awfully hard."

"I did. Believe me."

"Well, I'm just glad you're both all right." She turned to look at Scott. "What would I have done if I'd lost you?"

"Well, going up on the hull after she started going down was awfully risky, Meg. I can't believe you chanced it just to save me," Scott said softly.

"Oh, it wasn't you particularly I was going for up there," Megan replied.

"Huh?"

"Well, I needed Virgil to be able to fly this thing."

"Virgil?" Scott spluttered. "Of all the—"

Megan started to laugh. Virgil joined in. "Gotcha!" she crowed.

Scott reddened, then burst out laughing. As it subsided he cast a look in her direction. A look she returned as she smiled demurely and turned away.

Virgil opened his mouth to say something when a red light on the top, right corner of his control panel blinked. Frowning, he studied the indicator. A few seconds later it blinked again. His hands moved quickly, bringing a diagnostic of one of Two's VTOL rockets up on the screen. It turned in a three-dimensional rotation, full color. The onboard computer outlined one particular anomaly, then zoomed in on that spot. When it became larger, Virgil saw the crack in the hull next to it.

"Uh-oh."

Scott and Megan frowned. "Uh-oh?" they asked in unison.

"It's the damaged VTOL," Virgil explained, fingers flying across the control panel so fast Megan couldn't tell what the hell he was flipping or punching. "It must have taken a direct hit back there. Somehow, the hull on one side of it is cracked."

"Is that a bad thing?" Megan asked.

"Well, it wouldn't be except the VTOL was still firing when the missile actually created the crack in the hull. We've got rocket fuel that's been leaking into the pod all this time. I'm almost completely out."

"Virg, without the VTOLs..."

"I know," Virgil replied. "I can't land."

7:54:33

The first thing John became aware of was the throbbing of his head. The second thing he became aware of was something squirming against his chest. Whatever had hit his head was gone now, and he struggled to push himself and Esunge up out of the debris. But it was too heavy. And the oxygen supply was getting thinner and thinner. His arms and legs felt like Jell-O.

The dirt in his wounds stung terribly. Tears sprang to his eyes. "Esunge," he gasped. "Are you okay?"

The child squalled terribly.

_Shit. We can't be very far from the temple. Ebony's __**bound**__ to hear that._

John gingerly moved first one leg and then the other. They seemed to be relatively free of debris. But before he could try anything else, he felt something above him moving and then voices speaking in a language that sounded very much like Chinese.

_Ebony doesn't speak Chinese._

His spirits lifted a little. Maybe these were just good people there to help him? And not some insane woman hell-bent on torturing him?

He could only hope.

The hands dug around him, freeing his arms, legs and torso. He still had his eyes squeezed shut and was a little afraid to open them. Then the hands grabbed him and lifted him out of the hole where the tunnel had once been. He was placed on his feet, but staggered as his legs threatened to give way beneath him.

Esunge stopped crying and clung to John as two pairs of hands reached out to steady him. Slowly, John opened his eyes.

Six of the largest Asian men he'd ever seen surrounded him. And they were holding really big guns. Guns pointed right at him.

_Oh, shit._

7:59:58

7:59:59

8:00:0


	13. Hour Thirteen

**Hour Thirteen**

_The following takes place between 8:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m._

8:00:48

John hadn't realized until that moment how tired he was. And how much pain he was in. Every inch of his arms...his legs...his ass...his back and front...everywhere hurt. He looked down at Esunge who, other than being quite dirty, seemed none the worse for wear.

He stared at the brutish men around him. He also stared at their weapons, which looked like state-of-the-art miniature laser cannons. Boy, the damage _those_ could do.

"Guì xìng?"

_That guy's the biggest one of all._

"I'm sorry, I—I don't speak Chinese."

"What is your name?" the man repeated in English.

John looked the man in the eye. He didn't mind admitting to himself that he was scared shitless.

_And naked_.

He groaned inwardly.

"Name!" the man said louder, taking a menacing step forward.

"John," he replied. His voice sounded shaky even to him. "I-I'm John."

"Who is the child?"

"His name is Esunge."

The large Asian man's eyes widened. He turned and said something to the man directly behind him. The second man nodded enthusiastically and came forward with arms outstretched.

"No!" John yelled, taking a step back. "Don't you touch him!"

The men all raised their guns level with his chest. John gulped.

"Not yours," the first man grunted. "Is child of Gaat."

"Yes," John nodded. "But what do you want with him?"

"We," the first man said, gesturing to those with him as they all lowered their weapons, "are of the House of T'ang. Khai was to bring the child to us today."

"You..._you're_ the House of T'ang?"

"Not all of it. Where is Khai?"

"He...didn't make it out. Ebony captured him."

"So you have brought the child on Khai's behalf?"

"Not exactly," John muttered. "I didn't really have a choice. Khai would only free me if I agreed to help him escape with Esunge."

"Free you?" the man repeated. John nodded. "Free you from whom?"

"Ebony. She kidnapped me and has been holding me prisoner for the last...I don't know how long," he suddenly realized. "A long time."

"This is why you wear only that?" he asked, pointing to the lavender sarong which was pretty much torn to shreds.

John blushed and nodded. "It was all I could get my hands on before we escaped."

"You are John Tracy."

He nodded, wondering how it was his identity was known, as the man turned to speak to his cronies again. A wave of dizziness hit him and he stumbled forward. The large man caught his arms and steadied him.

"You are in poor health."

"Yeah, no kidding," John replied as he tried to wipe the dirt from his face with an even dirtier hand.

"Come with us, John Tracy. We will take care of you and the child."

John hesitated. But really, what choice did he have? He couldn't very well get away from six men with laser cannons. He was hurting and he had no food – eventually Esunge would be hungry.

"You're not with Ebony? Not from the temple?"

"No!" the large man spat. "The House of Gaat is our enemy."

"Then what are you going to do with Esunge?"

He just grunted in reply. "Come or be left to your fate here in the jungle."

John sighed. "Okay, but Esunge doesn't leave my sight. Deal?"

"Deal."

Three of the men turned and led the way along what didn't appear to be any sort of path at all, shoving the surrounding flora into submission with their big arms and bodies. The first man walked next to John, with two more following behind.

"Our camp is not far, John Tracy. There you will eat and rest."

"Thank you."

_I think_.

"My name is Li Yuan T'ang," he bowed slightly as he pushed plants out of John's way. "You may address me as Li."

_I hope I haven't just stepped out of the frying pan into the fire._

8:17:14

"We're about ready to take off, Penny. Are you and Parker ready?"

"Yes, Jeff." Penelope's voice wafted through the speakers in Thunderbird 1's cockpit.

"Okay. Ten minutes, then."

"F.A.B."

Jeff watched several indicators as the nuclear reactor started powering up thanks to the atoms Brains had provided for just such an occasion. The pre-flight check was already done. Now all he had to do was think.

And that was _not_ good. Not given what Brains had told him.

Jeff had demanded proof of the genius' claim.

He'd been given it.

Jeff had denied it was possible.

But truthfully, and technically, it was.

Jeff had refused to believe he didn't know everything there was to know about his wife.

Yet it was entirely possible he did not. After all, she _was_ a professional spy. Secrets were what she lived day in and day out.

Their marriage, he reminded himself, had been no exception. Only Scott knew they were husband and wife, and his knowledge had only come about in a moment of despair on Jeff's part.

Jeff twisted the ring he normally wore on a necklace, but which now sat snugly upon his left-hand ring finger. A token of their love. Their devotion. 'Til death do part them. Jeff's heart skipped a beat when he remembered the sorrow he'd felt talking to Sir Jeremy...hearing him die...wondering where Penny had been...wondering if he'd lost her as he'd lost Lucille.

But this...it just overshadowed everything. He supposed if Ebony had never come into contact with the Tracy family, and he'd never found out Penny had at some point borne a child, he would've gone on blissfully happy until the end of his days.

But now he had the knowledge. Kyrano had been right.

_Thorough knowledge is not always necessary, nor desirable, Jeff. With knowledge comes the conundrum of using it wisely. Many men are not up to this task._

He was always right.

What he wouldn't give to have his friend here for some advice.

_Nope. Going to have to handle this one on your own, Jeff._

There had to be some reasonable explanation. Perhaps she had been married at a young age. Perhaps she'd been raped. And what, the infant had gone with its father? Or she'd given it up for adoption.

Well, he couldn't very well bring it up on their way to Malaysia. This was a highly personal issue, and Parker would be there with them. Jeff just wasn't comfortable with him listening to something like this.

Then again...maybe Parker knew about it? He knew Penny better than anyone, he reasoned – himself included.

But why the big secret? Why had she not told him? She'd had a _child_, for God's sake! A child who was now holding his middle son hostage – in exchange for Jeff himself! Who _was_ Penny's child that she'd become Gaat's lover? And for God's sake, _why_?

Maybe if he'd known before...if Penny had been honest with him about it...maybe they could've found out about all this years ago, and stopped it before it got to the point it was at today. Anger seeped into his thoughts. Penny keeping this secret from him may very well cost both he and John their lives today. It had already cost Jeremy's.

He slammed his fist down on the arm of the pilot's chair.

_Why didn't she tell me, goddammit? Why?_

"Jeff?"

He jumped when her voice came through. "Yes, Penny?"

"We're ready to board now."

"F.A.B. We're all set."

He heard them approach the hatch at the center of One's fuselage. He had to get himself under control. Now was not the time or place. Brains was doing more research. Jeff would wait for further facts before saying anything to Penelope. It was the right thing to do.

It was.

_After all_, he thought as she crawled into the cockpit, looking up to smile at him briefly, _I'm in love with her._

8:18:19

"Thunderbird Two to Thunderbird One."

"Thunderbird One here," Jeff replied.

Scott winced slightly at his father's words. Megan got the idea it wasn't his leg bothering him.

"Father, we've got a problem. The hull inside VTOL B's shaft was cracked during the attack and we've had rocket fuel leaking through that crack since then. I can't fire the VTOL rockets, I'm completely out of fuel."

"Alternatives?"

"We've been discussing that," Virgil replied. "I think I should put Megan and Scott in the pod and drop it with the 'chute. Then I can try to rough-land Two without placing them in danger."

"And I told you that was _not_ going to happen!" Scott barked over his shoulder.

"Scott, I need alternatives, not arguments," was Jeff's crisp reply. "What else?"

"We could, of course, try the rough-land with the pod intact," Virgil responded. "We could also attempt a mid-air refuel, but without fixing the crack, it isn't going help much. Plus with the fuel still leaking, firing the VTOLs might send us into the sky like a giant Molotov cocktail."

"Is there any chance of repairing it while in the air?"

Virgil frowned as he studied the schematics on his computer screen. "Well, we have the compound to seal it well enough until it can be properly repaired, but the only way to actually get in there and do it is for one of us to get on the outside of the hull and go in from under her." He turned and eyed Scott's leg before continuing. "I'm the only one with enough physical capacity to do it, Father."

"Why?" Jeff 's voice was suddenly urgent. "What's wrong with Scott?"

Scott shook his head at Virgil, who hesitated before replying. "He'll be all right, Father. He just has a flesh wound on his leg."

They could hear their father's sigh. "Chances of success?"

"It depends. We can't hover without the VTOLs, so Scott would have to keep Thunderbird 2 going as slow as possible without stalling her out, which is still at least 600 miles per hour. The wind sheer will make it difficult to effect the repairs very quickly, to say the least."

_Not to mention that I already spent part of today dangling alongside my 'bird._

They were silent as their father considered what he'd been told.

"Scott? What do you recommend?"

"Not going with Number One," he replied gruffly.

"As Field Commander, son. Not as brother."

Scott frowned. He and Virgil exchanged looks. "I think a rough-land of the entire craft is too risky, both to us and Thunderbird herself. Dropping the pod is also risky for the simple fact that we'll lose our equipment to wherever we drop it and it will therefore most likely be unavailable to us when we really need it. Not to mention the danger of being recovered by someone outside our organization."

"And the third option?"

Scott swallowed hard. Megan knew that although his professional opinion told him one thing, his brotherly heart was telling him another. She could see it in his stricken eyes.

"I think our best chance for success rests with Virgil trying to effect repairs while we're still in motion, and then going for a mid-air refuel with One. We've got the electromagnetic gear that Brains invented, the compound we need and the ability to secure him to Two in the event the magnets give out for any reason. We won't lose him."

And in those final words, Megan heard a solemn vow from one brother to another. _We won't lose you, Virgil, no matter what. Not if I have anything to say about it._ echoed in her mind.

"Virgil? Do you concur?"

"Yes, Father."

"Then do it. I refueled at Penny's, so I've got enough for us both. And before I forget, we actually have a good piece of news."

"Really?"

"Yes. Parker didn't die after all. He's alive, saved by Brains' newly designed bulletproof vest. And he's here in the cockpit with us."

"You're kidding!" Virgil exclaimed. "That's great!"

"I agree, son. How far out are you from Malaysia?"

"We've actually just come upon the Gulf of Siam."

"All right. I think it would be best if you turn and start heading back towards me. You'll be slow-going while Virgil's effecting the repairs."

"Yes, and I should be nearly finished by the time we meet up, Father."

"Right, Virgil. And then it's on to Malaysia."

"Dad, you still haven't told us why we're going there."

There was a moment's silence before he responded. "Because Ebony has offered to exchange John, Scott."

"For what?"

"Not what. Who."

"All right, then. Who?"

"Me."

Scott and Virgil turned and stared at one another.

"No," Scott whispered. "Dad..."

8:29:40

"_This_ is the date you talked of keeping?" Penelope asked in shock as she stared up at her husband.

"Yes, Penny. Ebony contacted me several hours ago. She said John was alive, and that she would release him only if she got me in exchange."

"Surely you're not thinking of—!"

"No, Penny, I'm not." Jeff heard the sighs of relief from Thunderbird Two. "Listen, boys, I'm desperate, but not stupid. I don't think she intends to release John any more than you do. And I have no idea what she wants with me. What I _do_ know is that saving John's life is the most important thing on our plate today, and if that means temporarily allowing myself to be imprisoned, then so be it."

"You sound like you have a plan," Scott said.

"I was hoping you boys would help me out with that one."

Virgil's face grinned from the video screen. "Are you saying you actually need our help, Dad?"

Jeff grunted, but couldn't hold the scowl he was attempting. "Of course I do. I may be many things, but a one-man army isn't one of them."

They laughed.

"You're all with me on this, right?" Jeff continued, serious once more.

"He's our brother, Dad," Scott replied as though aghast Jeff would even ask such a thing.

Jeff smiled. "I know, but I don't ever presume to speak for any of you."

"Don't worry, Dad," Virgil chimed in. "We're with you all the way."

"I'll help if I can, Jeff."

"Thank you, Megan. I'm sure we'll need all the help we can get. Now, get to work, boys. I want that 'bird ready for fueling as soon as possible."

"F.A.B."

With that, Virgil turned in his seat. "Okay, Scott, time for me to get ready. She's all yours."

"F.A.B., Virgil. And...be careful."

He flashed him a smile. "Nothing but. Megan, would you mind giving me a hand?"

"Uh...sure. What do you need?"

Scott watched them walk out of the cockpit, sat back in the seat and quickly refamiliarized himself with Two's console layout. He slowed her to 4,500 miles per hour...4,000...3,500...his mind drifted.

_What the hell was that kiss about?_

...

_Is John still alive?_

...

_Is Virgil's head really okay enough for him to attempt what he's attempting?_

...

_Why did Dad and Penny get married without telling us?_

...

_How did someone like Nishan infiltrate us? How could we not know?_

...

_What if we can't get John back?_

…

Too many questions. Scott rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. "Dammit," he whispered, slowing her to 3,000...2,500...2,000.

_Too many questions. Too many uncertainties. Too many variables to predict what will happen to us. If we'll survive...if we'll lose one...or more..._

Cobalt blue eyes stared out the cockpit window reflective...unseeing...troubled.

8:41:22

John had been given a tub of water in which to bathe Esunge and himself. The child had enjoyed bath time immensely, but his own had probably been the most painful bath John had ever taken in his life. The camp was filled with over twenty men, most not as large as the ones who'd found him after the tunnel caved in. One of them brought some first aid supplies over as soon as he stepped out of the tub and methodically began bandaging his scraped-off skin.

This had the result of John looking quite a bit like a mummy.

But at least he wasn't wearing the lavender sarong anymore.

_Thank God._

Esunge was clothed in brand-new apparel that fit him just right. John had to wonder what the hell was going on. What was the House of T'ang and why was Gaat's family its mortal enemy? As such, wasn't Esunge in grave danger? He still hadn't been told anything. As the medicine man finished with his bandages, the smells of food cooking wafted to him. His mouth watered, his stomach growling.

Suddenly Li appeared, motioning with his hand. "Come, John Tracy, with the child."

John picked Esunge up and followed Li along a narrow path into a clearing where a good number of the camp sat around with plates of hot, steaming food.

"Eat," Li said. "Both of you."

John smiled gratefully when he was handed a large metal bowl. "Thank you." He moved to the large pot over a burning fire and scooped out what looked to be a mixture of rice, vegetables and meat, though he couldn't identify much beyond that. He didn't care if it was roadside vermin at this point. He was _starving._

Most of the men ignored John and his charge, but some stared alternately at him and the baby. John shifted uncomfortably in the open space he'd cleared and shoveled food into his mouth with the spoon he'd been provided. Just as he was wondering what to do about Esunge's hungry tummy, a woman...the only one he'd seen since arriving in the camp...appeared before him with a baby bottle and another bowl, this one looking like it was filled with mush.

"Wèi hái," she said, nodding toward Esunge, then indicating the bottle and bowl. "Wèi hái."

"You want to feed him?" John asked, wishing Li wasn't the only one who seemed to speak English.

The woman nodded and he took a good look at her as she sat down. She was probably about twenty-five or thirty. Her long, black hair was tied into a bun on the top of her head and she wore camouflage clothing like the men did. Esunge seemed to like her...either that or he was so hungry he didn't care...and climbed into her lap with no prodding at all.

The baby squealed with delight as the woman spooned mush into his mouth. Once he'd had his fill, she cradled him in her arms and gave him the bottle. John watched as he finished the last bits of his meal.

_They look beautiful together._

Okay, where did _that_ come from?

He started feeling a bit guilty for having separated Esunge from his real mother. Then again, Ebony was nothing if not a complete and total bitch. Still...she _was_ his mother. John frowned as he recalled how vehemently Esunge didn't want to return to her. So much so that, as far as John could tell, he'd made the tunnel shake.

Which is what had caused the rock to crack. And the tunnel to collapse. He looked warily at the boy, now lying half asleep in the woman's arms.

_That kid is dangerous in more ways than one._

"I see you have met my daughter."

John looked over as Li came and sat down next to the woman.

"Well, she spoke to me in a language I don't understand and I did the same to her. If you call that meeting then yes, we _have_ met."

Li actually laughed. "John Tracy, this is my daughter, Zi T'ang."

At the sound of her name, Zi bowed as much as she could with a now-sleeping baby in her arms.

"Pleased to meet you, Miss T'ang," John said, nodding his head.

"John Tracy zhè wèi," Li said to her.

"Ni hao," Zi said.

John smiled. "Ni hao." His smile grew even broader when she surreptitiously looked at him through her lashes and all-out grinned.

_Guess she doesn't mind a guy wrapped almost completely in gauze._

He almost laughed out loud, but considered that might be inappropriate under the circumstances.

"John Tracy, we must talk of the future."

"The future?" he repeated, Zi no longer even on his radar.

"Indeed. You see, John Tracy, now that you and the child are with us, the plans must change. But the end result must be the same."

"And what is the end result you're after?"

"Total annihilation of the House of Gaat."

John glanced at Esunge.

"Do not fear for the child, John Tracy. For he is not the son of Radzi Belah."

"But...Ebony said he was!"

"She lies." Li reached out and lifted the boy's pant leg, turning his foot so John could see the instep. "All men of the family Gaat have a mark here between the arch and ankle."

"He doesn't have one."

"No."

"But...it's just genetics. What if he just didn't get the gene for the birthmark?"

"All male members of the House of Gaat have borne this mark for generations, John Tracy. The fact that he does not bear the mark of Zhang-Fei means he is not a descendant of that bloodline."

"Zhang-Fei?"

"Ancient God of Butchers. And we do not mean butchers of animals, John Tracy. The House of Gaat has borne this symbol since Zhang-Fei's defeat at the hands of his own men. He was immortalized for his misdeeds."

John looked down at Esunge's foot and back up at Li. "He's not Gaat's child."

"No. Apparently she lied to keep her good status with him. But then he died, and her claim allowed her to take over his wealth and work."

John smiled in relief. Li nodded, as if sharing in the sentiment. "Now that we are aware of this fact, the only one left is Ebony. She is a dangerous woman. We fear she will liaise with a demon in an attempt to overthrow us."

"A demon?" Li nodded. "But...I don't understand why she wanted me."

"To get to your father."

"My father? But why him?"

"You do not yet know, John Tracy?"

John shook his head.

"The spirit of Gaat has returned." Li looked him directly in the eyes. "He wishes to take over your father's body."

_What?_

Before he could reply, there was a whizzing sound. Right before his eyes, something smacked into Li's head. He barely had time to register that it was an arrow before Li stiffened and fell sideways.

Zi screamed as an arrow headed straight for John.

8:59:58

8:59:59

9:00:00


	14. Hour Fourteen

**Hour Fourteen**

_The following takes place between 9:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m._

9:02:11

"How do I look?" Virgil flashed a smile.

"Like a cross between a commando and a fighter pilot," Megan replied thoughtfully. "Those magno-things are going to keep you on the hull?"

"That's the plan," he replied. "Let Scott know I'm ready to go out."

"Okay."

Virgil tugged at the apparatus he wore, first checking the belts that held the electromagnetic gear on him, then the compact parachute he wore on his back...just in case...the two small oxygen containers strapped on his back either side of the parachute, and finally the small mask that led to them, ensuring he wouldn't pass out due to the lack of oxygen that high in the atmosphere.

_Hanging out there twice in one day. That's a record._

He checked the four canisters of compound he'd have to use to seal the cracked hull in the VTOL shaft.

_This is going to be messy._

His mind wandered to John. To Penelope. To Parker and Sir Jeremy.

_I'm glad Parker made it._

A frown settled onto his face.

_But will the rest of us?_

9:05:47

_Master, you must come to me. I need you. I have...failed._

Dark eyes closed, mouth hanging slightly open.

_I have lost our son in the jungles._

Incense wafted around her glistening skin.

_Please, Master. What is thy bidding?_

Above the abyss it rose, twining and swirling like tendrils of smoke as it wove its way from the depths. Blue flashes of light began sparking in each tendril as they slowly came together to form a single teardrop-shaped cloud above her.

She opened her eyes and looked up in time to see the smoke form two glowing red eyes.

Her hands flew to her mouth as Ebony screamed.

9:08:16

Kyrano's eyes fluttered open. He looked around as he rose to a sitting position.

_I am in the hospital ward._

He slid off the bed and padded across the room, through the door and into the hall. There wasn't a soul in sight.

_Where has everyone gone?_

In order to get to the elevator that would take him to the main floor of the villa, Kyrano had to pass by Brains' laboratory. There was Broadway music playing, as was the norm when Brains was hard at work, but it played softly instead of unbearably loud, as it usually did.

Kyrano entered to find Brains hunched over a mobile computer with papers scattered everywhere and a pencil between his lips.

"Mr. Brains? What are you doing?"

"Kyrano!" the engineer squeaked, jumping to his feet. Papers went everywhere. "How are you?"

"I am better now, thank you." Kyrano waved a hand at the computer and papers. "What is all this for?"

"I discovered something that Jeff is i-insisting I look further into before he says a-anything to Lady Penelope."

Kyrano frowned. "What have you discovered?"

Brains shrugged. He saw no reason _not_ to tell Kyrano. It wouldn't have surprised him if he already knew. He always seemed to know everything, yet disclose very little.

"Everything I can find is indicating that Lady Penelope is Ebony's birth mother."

Kyrano's eyebrows shot up. "Where is the evidence for this?"

Brains showed him some files and pictures he had on the computer, one of which was a reconstructed birth certificate showing a child born as Victoria Emily Creighton-Ward. The space for a father's name was blank, but the mother was very clearly listed as Penelope Jane Creighton-Ward.

_A little __**too**__ clearly._

"Brains? Why is the mother's name written so much more clearly than most of the rest of that certificate?"

"There was a fire in the hall that held birth and death records for that area about four years after Ebony was born. They saved almost every record, but some had to be reconstructed. This is one of the reconstructed documents."

Kyrano looked at the certificate again. "What if it was not reconstructed correctly?"

Brains frowned. "What are you saying?"

"What if Lady Penelope isn't the Creighton-Ward Ebony was born to?"

"What? But then who..." Brains stopped and stared at Kyrano. "You don't mean...?"

"Yes. I do," he nodded. "Amelia Creighton-Ward."

"So Penelope's not her mother, she's her...sister?"

"_Half_-sister," Kyrano corrected.

Brains looked at him suspiciously. "What do you know, Kyrano?"

"I know now that the child called Esunge is not my half-brother's son. I also know that Ebony is Amelia's daughter." He froze, eyes widening in horror. "I also know that Belah," he continued in a soft whisper, "has returned."

9:17:20

John huddled over Zi, covering her with his body. Esunge clung to her shirt, cocooned in the protective circle of her arms.

"Bà!" Zi cried as she saw her father lying dead where they'd all sat happily minutes ago. "Bà!"

"No, Zi," John whispered into her ear. "Be quiet."

Arrows whizzed. Laser pistols fired. There were hollers, yells, shouts...general melee broke out not fifteen feet away.

"We have to get out of here," John said. "Come with me, Zi."

Her name was the only word she understood. She turned and looked up at him.

His heart skipped a beat.

"Zi, we have to go," he said, his fingers making like two legs walking. "We're in danger." She shook her head. He pointed to her dead father, then drew her attention back to himself as his finger mimicked an arrow shooting into Esunge's head.

Zi grew alarmed and shook her head 'no' vehemently.

"That's what I thought," he said, taking Esunge from her arms and grabbing her hand. "Come on!"

The jungle was thick with overgrowth. He could vaguely make out a trail leaving the other side of the clearing and ran as fast as he could, Zi in tow. Esunge, who'd been awakened by Zi's screams, clung to John's neck as he was becoming used to doing.

_Who the fuck is attacking them?_ John wondered. Just as quickly he answered himself. _Ebony. Ebony and her damn goons._

She must have found them. They weren't far enough from the temple. She'd come to take Esunge back and when she found John...he mentally shivered at the thought of what she'd do to him.

And what of Zi? Not a word of English from her, her father dead...killed right in front of her...John couldn't fathom how that felt. He briefly thought of his father as they slammed through vines and leaves, bending small saplings and large ferns as they ran. Boughs whipped back into Zi's face, but she didn't complain. She didn't have time to. She'd never run so fast in her life!

They came upon another small clearing, most likely one that had also been cleared at some point by Li and his men not long ago. Crouching on the edge of it, John and Zi's lungs heaved as they tried to catch their breath while scoping out the situation.

It seemed quiet and harmless.

_Which is always when it's not,_ John reminded himself.

Tentatively he rose from his crouched position and sneaked into the clearing, arms wrapped protectively around the baby. Just as he'd feared, he wasn't alone. Three men sprang into the clearing and raised their guns. He was surrounded.

He was trapped.

9:29:54

Virgil crawled down the outside of Two's hull. Having come out a hatch on top of the pod, he allowed the winch to slowly give him a lead as he made his way down Two's side just in front of the wing. Even from there he could feel the intense pull of the ram-jet air intake.

_Boy, if I get sucked into that baby, it's all over._

Just like a jet engine intake...it'd make hamburger meat out of Virgil as surely as it would any flying creature that happened to get too close.

_Ground up like hamburger._

Virgil snorted.

At this very moment he was hanging completely upside-down on the bottom of his Thunderbird. Going 600 miles per hour. At 15,000 feet. And somehow he had to get four containers of compound up into a shaft to repair a cracked hull. Virgil smiled as he came upon the VTOL shaft.

_All in a day's work._

9:35:39

Ebony's eyes glittered as she descended the large staircase into the Great Room. The captain of her army bowed before her. "Mistress Ebony. Tell us thy bidding."

"You will no longer address me as such," she said.

The voice that came from her mouth wasn't hers. It was deeper. It was a man's voice. It was... The soldier jumped to his feet and stepped warily back, drawing his sword. "What sort of trickery is this?"

"It is no trickery, you fool!" she snapped.

The captain took two steps closer, peering into her eyes as he drew near. "It cannot be! Master?"

A smile appeared on her face. "Yes, Cong. It is your master."

"How can this be?" Cong exclaimed, falling to his knees to genuflect as required.

"It _can_ be," Ebony replied, placing her hand on Cong's head and looking about the cavernous room. "At last," she sighed, an accent marring the deep voice. "Belah Gaat has come home."

9:41:25

"Yes, Jeff. I said he has returned."

"But Kyrano, that makes no sense. I saw Penny blow Gaat's head off myself. It happened mere feet from where you're standing, for God's sake!"

Serene brown eyes gazed at blazing blue-gray ones. "I did not say Belah survived. I said he had returned."

"You mean his...what, soul? Spirit?"

"I doubt his soul belongs to him, Jeff. Spirit might be the better term for our purposes."

"Is _that_ who's behind Ebony kidnapping John?"

"I believe so. Mister Brains has told me of Ebony's offer to exchange Mr. John for you."

"Yes," Jeff nodded. "That was her deal."

"I believe that was always her purpose."

"What, to get me down there?"

Kyrano nodded. "Yes, but not because _she_ wanted you. Because my half-brother did."

"To what end? If he's a spirit, what the hell does he still care about..." Jeff's eyes widened. "Oh, my."

"Yes, Jeff. He wanted you there because—"

"He wants to steal my body."

"Precisely."

"Well, how would he do that, exactly?"

"In order for the union to be successful, it would have to be done properly, made permanent through a strict ritual of dark magick there at the place where the world of below meets the world of above."

"But if I don't go down there..."

"I would imagine that he would take John."

"But John's younger than I am. Any of my sons are. I understand him choosing a Tracy, but why _me_?"

"You are the head of both Tracy Corporation and International Rescue," Kyrano replied. "What better position of power to enter if your wish is to return to life and take over the world?"

"My God," Jeff breathed, looking down briefly to find both Penelope and Parker staring at him. "Even in death he's a madman."

"Yes, Jeff. And there is another matter, of Ebony's parentage."

Jeff shook his head 'no.' But Kyrano paid no heed.

"I found the true story when I was unconscious," he continued. "It is involved, but I will attempt to keep it brief. The woman we know as Ebony was born Victoria Emily, that much is true. And it is also true she was born to a Creighton-Ward." Kyrano heard Penelope's gasp of surprise and chose to ignore it. Now was not the time for anything but fact. "But it is Amelia who bore this child after a heinous act on the part of a visiting dignitary from Madagascar by the name of Babechi."

Jeff swallowed hard. In his peripheral vision he could see Penny's ashen face.

"Babechi descends from Queen Ranavalona the Third, who was deposed in 1897 and sent to the French-owned island of Reunion off the coast of Africa. She met and fell in love with a man of my country, as the island was the site of much immigration for those of Malay and Chinese descent, to name a few. Babechi was the first of his family since Ranavalona was dishonored to regain honor with the government of Madagascar. He was on his first assignment as ambassador to London, staying at the same hotel Penelope's mother was staying at."

"Don't say anything more!" Penny cried over the airwaves. "Please!"

9:53:55

"Let me tell it," she said to Parker and Jeff's twin looks of astonishment. "After all, I was there when it happened."

"You were _there_?" Jeff repeated.

"Well, I wasn't present that awful night, no. But upon Mother's return home I found her crying many nights in her room and she and my father had many fights. Several months passed and it became apparent she was with child. I was so excited to have a little sister. They'd told me she was a girl, that I would have a sister!" Penelope smiled as she recalled the memory with fondness.

"Mother and I went shopping all over London for the perfect furniture and clothing for little Victoria. That's what she was to be named, as you say, Kyrano. Little Victoria. When the time came, I remember Mother being rushed to hospital but three days later she returned with no baby. During the night before Mother returned, Father had stayed awake all night covering all Victoria's possessions with sheets. That's how you found them today, Jeff. They have remained that way for thirty-two years."

"So you knew you had a sister?"

"I only knew I was _supposed_ to have a sister. Mother and Father told me she had died shortly after being born. Father asked me never to speak of it or it would break Mother's heart. Victoria was never talked of again," Penelope finished, looking up at Jeff. "Until today."

"Victoria, as you call her," Kyrano said from the video screen, "_is_ Ebony. They are one and the same. Apparently your parents did not speak truth. She did not die, Lady Penelope."

"And now she has your son," Penelope said sadly, looking away from her husband. "Jeff, I'm so sorry."

"Dad! Dad! Quick!"

"Alan?" Jeff said as Alan's face overrode Kyrano's on his video screen. "What is it?"

"It's Gordon!" Alan cried, looking sideways at something out of Jeff's view. "Oh, my God...Dad, he's gone! He's gone!"

9:59:58

9:59:59

10:00:00


	15. Hour Fifteen

**Hour Fifteen**

_The following takes place between 10:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m._

10:00:34

"What the hell do you _mean_ he's gone, Alan?" Jeff barked.

"Father, I picked up a kidnapping from Hospital Kuala Lumpur, and within minutes I found out it was Gordon!"

"Are you telling me someone has kidnapped _another_ of my sons?"

Alan shrank back from the screen. Even at 240-some-odd thousand miles from Earth, Jeff Tracy enraged was a frightening sight.

"I want information, Alan." Jeff's voice was now deathly quiet.

"Father, all I have is that a group of five men dressed as doctors took him from the hospital at gunpoint. They're saying he was unconscious. Wait! Wait! I've been buzzing Tin-Tin for over half-an-hour. She's coming through!"

The relief was evident in Alan's voice as he patched Tin-Tin through to everyone.

But the face on the screen didn't belong to Kyrano's daughter.

10:02:16

"We meet again, Jeff Tracy."

The face was Ebony's. But the voice...

Cold tingles ran up and down Jeff's spine. His face remained impassive as he studied the face coming through the video feed.

"I can see you know who I am."

"Wrong sex," Jeff deadpanned.

"Ebony's" eyes narrowed. "You are not in a position of levity."

"Oh, no? And why not?"

"I have two of your sons. Seems to me you found yourself in a similar predicament two years ago, Jeff, did you not?"

Jeff's jaw worked as a warning light signaled he had reached Thunderbird 2's position. "And as I recall, Gaat, we settled that situation rather effectively. What makes you think this time will be any different?"

Belah laughed, nodding to someone off-screen. Jeff watched as two of Ebony's...or Gaat's...soldiers half-dragged someone into the room. He tried to rise out of One's gimbal-slung chair before remembering exactly where he was.

"John!"

Belah nodded again, and two more soldiers half-dragged in yet another man.

"Gordon!" He glared at Gaat. "What do you want?"

"The same thing I wanted when you were dealing with my former lover, Tracy. I want you. Here. Now."

"And if I say no?"

Jeff cringed as one of the soldiers sucker-punched John.

"Then your boys will die. Make no mistake."

With that, he was gone.

10:09:41

_I do __**not**__ like the look of those clouds._

Scott peered out the cockpit window, wincing just a little when he bumped the wound on his leg.

"Cumulonimbus," Megan said quietly from behind him.

He turned. "I thought you were watching Virgil on the screen back there for me?"

"He's out of sight. I don't know how to work that thing, you know."

"Oh. Yeah. Right. I forgot. Sorry."

Scott turned a worried eye back out the window. "I really don't like...hey, how'd you know I was looking at the clouds?"

"Well," Megan said, sidling up next to him, "it was either that or you were frowning at imaginary birds." Off his confused look, she continued. "Scott, there's nothing out there right now _but_ clouds."

He grinned. "Got me again." He tapped the video screen and a weather radar appeared. "I'm not showing any lightning activity here."

"Lightning? Is that what you're worried about?"

"Yes. Ordinarily it wouldn't make a difference, but with Virgil out there..."

Megan nodded, turning to look at the clouds herself.

A bright flash of light nearly blinded her.

10:13:28

"Thunderbird One to Thunderbird—shit!"

"What the—Dad, what was that?"

"Alan, get me a reading on storm activity here!"

"Jeff?"

"Not now, Penny. Thunderbird Two, come in! Come in!"

"Dad, hang on, we've got to check on Virgil!"

"Damn," Jeff swore, sliding forward until he was literally on the edge of the seat.

_Not Virgil. Not him, too._

10:14:59

He remembered saying "Almost finished," to himself as he smoothed the last of the compound in place. His thickly gloved hand had stuck momentarily. Just as he'd gone to give it a tug...what?

He wasn't exactly in a spot to contemplate it.

Clinging to his winch line for dear life, Virgil tossed and turned, twisting impossibly this way and that as it whipped him beneath Two's wing.

_Not the wing again!_

He tucked himself into the fetal position just as his back slammed into the bottom of her wing. The force crushed both his oxygen tanks, and as one of the tanks scraped the bottom of the wing, it created a spark.

Virgil didn't even know what hit him.

10:18:45

"I've got him!" Jeff nearly yelled, eyes glued to the view screen in front of him. "He...dammit! Thunderbird Two, come _in_!"

"I'm here, Dad, I'm here! We can't get Virgil on the externals!"

"I have him, Scott. He's unconscious! His line is tangled in the undercarriage wheels and he keeps hitting the wing and bottom of the 'bird!"

"Shit! That means we can't winch him up! I have to _do_ something!"

"But what? Megan can't fly her while you rescue Virgil!"

"I know, Dad, I know!"

Jeff was about ready to jump out of his skin. He looked down. All he had with him were Penny and Parker. Neither of _them_ could fly Two _or_ One, which meant Jeff himself couldn't leave One while in the air.

"May I make a suggestion, Jeff?" Penny asked quietly.

"I'll take anything."

"Perhaps Brains would be of some assistance."

Jeff looked at her in surprise, then grimaced. "Let's hope so. Thunderbird One to Base."

"Jeff! We wondered what happened to the transmission. How did we get cut o-off?"

"Not now, Brains, listen to me. Virgil's over the side of Two hanging by the winch line, but the line's tangled in the undercarriage. Two can't hover with Virgil down there and Megan's the only one on board besides Scott. I've got Penny and Parker here, so I can't leave One. I need suggestions!"

"Has Thunderbird Two refueled yet?"

"No."

"O-Okay. First order of business is to refuel her."

"But Virgil!"

"I-I know, Mr. Tracy. But we're going to need to be able to fire at least one VTOL to even a-attempt to save Virgil."

"F.A.B. Thunderbird Two to Thunderbird One."

"I heard, Dad. I'm opening the rear fuel hatch now."

"Coming in above you."

Jeff rose to twenty thousand feet, circled around Two and came over top of her from behind. "Lowering fuel hose now."

A small hatch opened in the middle of One's fuselage and a metal telescopic tube accordioned out from her belly. "Holding her steady, Father," Scott said as he watched the tube approach Two.

There was an audible clank as the tube latched into place on Thunderbird 2's tail just beneath her fin. "I show all systems green."

"Confirmed, Father. Release."

Jeff pressed a button and fuel began to flow.

"Scott will need a-at least half of One's supply for this maneuver."

"F.A.B., Brains."

_Please let Virgil be okay._

Jeff prayed his own piloting skills weren't too rusty. 600 mph wasn't _that_ fast as aircraft went, but it was fast enough that the smallest mistake might spell disaster.

For _all_ of them.

10:32:26

"What have you done with Esunge?"

"Don't call him that! He is no child of mine!"

John struggled against the metal shackles that held him in place on what could only be described as an altar made of marble. "Where is he?"

"Why do you care so much for the child of this _traitor_?" Belah bellowed, indicating the body he occupied.

"Just because his mother was a bitch doesn't mean _he's_ bad."

"The child is not your concern. However, I am willing to provide you with a demonstration of what happens to those who become...out of line."

John looked over to where his brother lay similarly strapped on an identical altar. Beyond, Zi cowered in the corner of the sacrificial chamber. His attention was diverted by two soldiers leading in a Malaysian man dressed like the slaves John had seen before.

"Bring him to me!" Belah boomed.

The slave fell to his knees before his master. "Ampunkan rendah-hati orang gaji, Tauke."

"Rendah-hati?" Belah roared. He snapped his fingers and the soldiers ripped the man's beige tunic away, leaving him naked, pulling him to his feet at the same time. They shoved him closer to Belah.

"This man is the father of that child," Belah said menacingly, pulling a knife from his waistband.

The servant panicked and struggled against his captors, crying out in Malay as he tried desperately to get away.

"Watch, Tracys. And pray I show you and your father greater mercy."

Without blinking an eye, the knife swooped down through the air, severing the slave's manhood from his body. The slave howled in agony, blood gushing from his groin.

John's eyes squeezed shut and Gordon looked as though he might hurl.

Zi could only scream.

10:40:19

"Fueling complete. Unlock tube, Scott."

"F.A.B. Unlocking tube now."

The electromagnetic clamps sealing the tube to Two released and Jeff slowed just enough to get the tube clear of her tail. Slowly it retracted into One's hull as Scott sealed Two's fueling tank and slid its hatch closed.

"Base from Thunderbird Two. Brains, I've got the fuel. What's the next step?"

"Well, uh, Scott, this i-is going to prove quite risky, but with Virgil's lead stuck i-in Two's undercarriage, y-you're first going to have to, uh, dislodge it."

"Dislodge it? How?"

"By firing, uh, VTOL rockets A and D, Scott. Just a short burst to tip Thunderbird Two, uh, sideways."

"Okay. I'll give it a try."

"Oh, uh, Scott? Stay on your side once you're there."

Scott turned to Megan. "You get airsick?"

"Not so far."

"Strap in. This is gonna suck."

Megan quickly strapped herself into a passenger seat, checking and rechecking the straps, her eyes wide.

Scott also checked his straps. "Okay. Here goes nothing."

10:43:02

Gordon watched as a black woman...with an Asian man's voice...walked over to where the Chinese woman he'd heard John call Zi stood screaming. He was thoroughly confused. He shifted uncomfortably, his back stinging where the goons who'd grabbed him had been a bit too rough with him.

_Damn laser rifles._

He hadn't been able to speak to John at all, having seen him for the first time when dragged in while the woman-with-a-man's-voice had been talking with their father.

Gordon had breathed a sigh of relief. That meant at least Jeff was still alive.

_And as long as Dad's alive, we'll stay alive._

But now, he cringed as Belah backhanded the woman into silence.

"Stop that!" John bellowed. "Come over here and pick on someone..." He was about to say someone Belah's own size, but at the moment, in Ebony's body, he really _was_ Zi's size...

_Oh, fuck __**that**__ line of thought._

Gordon looked at John and shrugged in question.

"Ah, John Tracy. You are a feisty one, are you not? Too bad I've not had the pleasure until now. If your father decides not to come to your aid, I will choose _your_ body."

"Like hell you will, you bastard," John ground out.

"What in the _hell_ is going on?" Gordon asked finally, pulling his arms and legs to no avail.

Belah just laughed. "I have preparations to make," he said to John. "Perhaps while I am gone you can explain to your brother why, at the ceremony of the Joining, he will be dying."

John's and Gordon's eyes grew large. A soldier grabbed Zi, who cried out, reaching an arm out toward John and babbling in Chinese.

"Zi!" John yelled. "Zi!"

10:48:40

Scott fired the two VTOLs as instructed by Brains. Since they were on the same side of the giant transporter, Thunderbird Two rolled quickly to her side. Scott and Megan heard some things falling, but it couldn't be helped as they both struggled against gravity pulling them to their right.

"Hang on," Scott ground out. "Dad, can you get a visual on Virgil?"

"F.A.B., I have him. Scott, it worked! The lead's not caught in the undercarriage now!"

"Okay, Brains," Scott said, fighting the yoke as Two's systems tried to right her. Beads of sweat dotted his forehead, dripping onto the console at his side. "What's next?"

"Uh, good job, Scott. N-Now what you have to do is start the winch. Pull him very slowly. With that wind sheer, one wrong move could rocket him right i-into the hull."

"F.A.B. Starting winch now."

10:50:07

Jeff watched the view screen like a hawk. At first he couldn't even tell Virgil was moving, but slowly the distance between his second eldest and the green plane became smaller.

_Come on, come on. You can do it. Nice and slow._

His muscles tensed as his son continued twisting in the wind. And there was nothing he could do but sit there. Sit there and _watch_.

_Dammit, it's not supposed to be like this._

You said that once before, Jeff. Yet here you are again. All of you. Only this time without Ned and Sir Jeremy.

_And almost without Parker._

And if this doesn't go right...without Virgil, John or Gordon.

His hands squeezed the levers. Knuckles whitened as his grip became even more intense. He felt that vein on his temple beginning to throb.

Suddenly there was a hand on his foot and he jumped, looking down. He couldn't even smile.

"Jeff," was all she said. Her large eyes looked up at his and suddenly he remembered having thought she'd lied to him, lied about having a child...when it hadn't been her child at all, but her _mother's_! He smiled apologetically. "It will be all right, Jeff. Believe that." She took her seat next to Parker once more and strapped in.

_Damn, she knows._

He smiled.

_She always knows just when I need her most._

Jeff's eyes returned to the view screen, and he stretched his fingers, palms remaining on One's control levers. Virgil was getting closer to the hull. Closer. Closer. Closer...

10:54:58

Flying Thunderbird Two sideways was just not something Scott was prepared for. He'd never done that in Two. He doubted Virgil ever had either. The yoke fought him and fought him. His muscles strained with the effort, perspiration streaming from his head and neck.

He was so tired.

But this was Virgil!

"Father, is he almost up?" He hoped the strain in his voice didn't show.

"Almost, Scott. He'll be against the pod hull in just a few seconds. Hang in there, son."

_Hang in there._

Were John and Gordon hanging in there?

The yoke jerked. Scott held it.

"O-Okay, Scott. You can fire B and C now to right her."

Relieved, Scott flipped the switches for the right-side VTOL rockets. They fired, and Two moved slowly back into place, horizontal with the earth below. "Megan, I'm landing. I'll need your help back there to pull Virgil into the pod once we're down."

Megan nodded.

"Scott, we'll land with—"

He was cut off in mid-sentence by an alarm blaring across the airwaves.

"Dad?"

"We've got a helijet on our tail," Jeff said.

"ID?"

"Standard issue," Jeff replied. "Wait a minute...it's transmitting hard copy code. It can't be...Tin-Tin?"

"Tin-Tin?" Scott asked incredulously.

10:58:09

Tin-Tin maneuvered the helijet to follow the Thunderbirds, tears streaming down her face. When she was finished transmitting the code, she waited for what she knew would be next.

"Thunderbird One from International Rescue. Please identify yourself."

Tin-Tin bit her lip, but felt something nudge her from behind. She knew what that something was.

"This is Tin-Tin," she replied. "Will you be landing here?"

"Yes," Jeff replied. "Good to hear from you, we weren't sure what happened to you! Are you okay?"

"Okay," she replied. "Request permission to land with you."

"Granted, Tin-Tin! Just follow us down!"

"F.A.B.," she said softly. She turned sadly to look at the man who was behind her. His gun pressed harder into her neck.

_I'm so sorry, Mr. Tracy. I'm so sorry._

10:59:58

10:59:59

11:00:00


	16. Hour Sixteen

**Hour Sixteen**

_The following takes place between 11:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m._

11:01:53

"Jesus, John. You _slept_ with her...him...her...whatever!"

John rolled his eyes. "All the things I told you and _that_ is what you choose to focus on?"

"Well, she's a...he!"

"No, she's not, and I didn't fucking sleep with her of my own free will."

"See, I don't get that. You're saying she made you do...you know..."

"Yes. Gordon, you don't fuck with these people. One look in their eyes and you're _gone._"

Gordon thought for a moment. "I think I know what you're talking about. Seems Gaat did that to me a couple years ago. I think."

"Any luck with getting loose?"

"Do I _look_ loose?"

"Gordon, we've got to get out of here. If we're not here, Dad won't come. Dammit! I can't believe they caught me."

"So wait, what about the rest of the T'ang house...or whatever you called them."

"Li's men," John replied, nodding. "I don't know anything about why they hate Gaat so much, but this is what Li was afraid of...Ebony and Gaat. Now they're joined together somehow...and I've gotten his daughter caught..."

"Hey, don't worry about it, John. We'll get out of this."

"How? We can't even get off these damn tables!"

Gordon's eyes lit up. "I have an idea!"

"What?"

"Kyrano!"

John turned his head and looked skeptically at his brother. "Kyrano?"

"Yes!" Gordon nodded enthusiastically. "I used to be able to talk to him in my head."

"Hey, wait...I can do that, too! I've talked to him today!"

"You...you _have_? I didn't know you could do that."

"Neither did I...wait...you...earlier today, didn't I...hear you...or something?"

"Yes, you did. I contacted you. I thought you were...I mean, you were falling backwards."

John nodded. "The abyss. I almost went ass-over-teakettle into that thing."

There was a moment's silence as each contemplated his own thoughts.

"So? What do you say, Gordo? Should we give it a try?"

"Can't hurt. Just relax. Deep breaths in and out. Concentrate on Kyrano's face. Just keep saying his name. We'll get him. We _have_ to!"

John nodded and closed his eyes.

_Kyrano..._

Gordon turned his head back to its normal resting position and closed his eyes as well.

_Kyrano..._

11:05:33

"Thunderbirds have landed."

"Very well. We shall meet them."

A group of twenty-four men, some bloodied and beaten, trudged through the jungle to the edge of the Batang Baleh. Across the river was a large area free of jungle growth thanks to extensive deforestation in recent years. In that area sat a large, green, hulking plane and a more sleek silver one with a red nose. They watched as a third craft landed near them, a helijet. They knew it wasn't a Thunderbird.

The man who seemed to be in charge turned to his comrades. "We will have difficulty getting them to believe us. Approach with caution. We must remain calm at all costs. Remember the Evil One has Li's daughter." He looked toward the clearing again as the green Thunderbird rose high above her midsection on four tall legs.

_Surely men with technology such as this can help us._

11:08:15

Jeff was out of the hatch and running to Thunderbird 2 before her pod door had even reached the ground. He jumped up onto it and ran into the pod, staring up at where Scott and Megan were already on the catwalk high above him.

"Do you have him?" Jeff called up.

"Think so!" Scott yelled back.

Penelope and Parker soon joined him. Jeff turned to them. "Do you have your weapons?"

"Yes, Jeff. We're ready," Penny replied.

"All right. You know what to do."

The two nodded and headed back out of the pod. Jeff looked back up to the top of it where it looked like Virgil was finally being pulled through the hatch. He keyed something into the control pad to the right of the pod door and, without a look back, jumped down to the ground.

The door began to swing upwards.

11:12:21

"What the—Father? Father!"

Scott struggled under Virgil's weight. His leg was _killing_ him and Virgil was...

_Oh, my God._

Scott got his first good look at his brother. Megan swallowed hard as he laid Virgil gently on the catwalk's scaffold. The back of his uniform was scorched, half-blown away oxygen tanks hanging by threads from his back. The lower quarter of his hair just above the nape of his neck was singed away, his skin burned. They could both already see where large blisters had begun to form on his neck, back and shoulders.

"Shit," Scott said, his voice unsteady. "Virgil?"

Megan quickly checked for a pulse. She nodded at Scott before whispering, "We've got to get him some medical attention."

Scott swiped a hand over his eyes. "I'll need your help. My leg is almost gone."

"Sure."

"I'll take his upper half, you get his feet."

"Okay." Megan waited until Scott had his arms wrapped under Virgil's armpits and around the front of his chest, hands locked in one giant fist just over his solar plexis. She hoisted Virgil's booted feet into the air and slowly followed Scott's lead to the small cage elevator on the side of the pod.

"Only one of us can go with him in this. It's not stable enough for all three."

"I'll stay," Megan said.

"But you're the doctor."

"Just tell me how to make it go and I'll be down as soon as you two are out."

He flashed her a tired but grateful smile, pulling Virgil all the way into the lift. She pulled the cage door closed and watched as Scott showed her what how to operate it. Then he pushed one of the buttons and they started down.

_Why did Father close the pod door?_

Scott looked down at his brother's tranquil face. Virgil's breaths came quickly through a slightly open mouth. A lump formed in Scott's throat.

_Virgil, please..._

Virgil stirred.

Scott watched.

Virgil's eyelids fluttered open slowly. So slowly.

They were halfway down the side of the pod.

Virgil tried to speak as he focused on Scott's face, but it came out as more of a croak.

"Virg?" Scott whispered, pulling his brother up and turning him so their faces were closer together.

Virgil's head rolled to the right, but then he seemed to get his neck muscles under control. His eyelids kept closing, but he kept forcing them open.

"What...?"

"Virgil," Scott breathed, putting his forehead on his brother's.

"Scott," Virgil said, his voice small like a child's. "Please...it hurts, Scott."

"I know, Virg. I know."

They were almost to the pod floor.

Tears welled up in Virgil's eyes. "Make it stop. Scott...it hurts."

Matching tears rose in Scott's own eyes. "I know, Virg, I know."

"Scott...help me..." With that, Virgil's eyes rolled back into his head.

A tear rolled down Scott's cheek as he pulled Virgil's head into his chest. "I'm trying, Virgil. I'm trying."

11:23:38

Jeff peeked around the corner of the pod. He watched as Parker approached the helijet from the far side while Penny approached it from the near. He raised his watch to his face. "Thunderbird 5 from Jeff Tracy."

"Thunderbird 5 here. Everything proceeding as planned?"

Jeff nodded. "Thanks again, Alan. I was so happy to hear from Tin-Tin, I didn't even _think_ of scanning the 'jet."

"I could hear in her voice something was wrong," Alan replied, shrugging.

Jeff regarded his youngest son. "You really ought to do something about how you feel."

"Oh, _you're_ the expert on feelings," Alan retorted. He looked instantly sorry for it. "Dad, I—"

"Don't worry about it. You're right. We'll have to talk once this is all over. In the meantime, feed the heat sensor information to me. I want to keep an eye on whoever's in there with her."

"F.A.B.," Alan replied, and his live feed was replaced by an infrared scanner-like picture which showed the outline of the helijet and the four people inside in red, green and yellow relief. One figure moved closer to the door, two others behind that one in a straight line. He could tell just by the way the second one was holding their arm they had a gun to the first one's back. There was one more in the cockpit, that one he could see clearly with his own eyes. The pilot. Was he in cahoots with the others or not?

"Penny, can you hear me?"

He looked up. Penelope raised her right arm up, then brought it down.

"Good. Parker?"

He saluted from the back of the helijet.

"Okay, looks like they're ready to come out. I'm wagering Tin-Tin is first. She's got a gun in her back and one more behind that one. Get ready."

11:30:51

The helijet door slid open. Tin-Tin's eyes were red as she looked out at the Thunderbirds. A slight movement from the direction of 2's pod caught her eye and she forced herself not to smile.

_I knew Mr. Tracy would know._

Tin-Tin stepped out onto the small ramp that had unfolded at her feet. Her arms were raised. Next thing to come out was the gun wedged between her shoulder blades. She turned slightly and saw Penelope put her finger to her lips.

Now Tin-Tin all-out grinned. She kept walking.

"Down!" she heard Parker yell.

_Parker? Isn't he __**dead**__?_

But there wasn't time for questions. Tin-Tin hopped off the ramp and rolled beneath the helijet as gunfire broke out above her. She scurried out the other side and rose to her feet as a machine pistol flew from Penny's hand to her own.

She whirled on the helijet cockpit, leveling her gun with the man seated behind the controls. He raised his hands as Penelope circled to the door. One of the men had been killed, and Parker was holding the other at gunpoint. Penny walked cautiously up the ramp, her gun aimed at the pilot's seat. She motioned for him to come out slowly. He complied.

Jeff came running up, his gun trained also on the man Penny had backing out of the helijet. Tin-Tin came around to join them, Jeff's arm coming around to rest on her shoulders.

"I'm glad you're okay, Tin-Tin."

"Me too. How'd you figure out I wasn't alone?"

"It wasn't me. We owe that to Alan."

"Alan?"

"Yes. He said your voice didn't sound right."

"He could..._tell_?"

Jeff chuckled. "I think you'd be surprised what he notices about you."

She blushed.

"Now, did these men tell you why they wanted to follow us?" he asked, removing his arm from her shoulders.

"Yes," she nodded. "They said they were of the House of T'ang and had to make sure you didn't make it to the temple."

"You must not go," the man Parker had at gunpoint said in a thickly accented voice.

Jeff walked over to him. "Who are you?"

"Hakuyu T'ang, Mr. Tracy."

"You know me."

He nodded. "We all are familiar with your family."

"Why? Are you in this with Ebony?"

"No!" he spat. "She is of the House of Gaat and is my enemy!"

"Do you know she's holding my sons hostage?"

"Sons? We were only aware that she took one called John."

Jeff nodded. "Well, she's got both him and Gordon now."

Hakuyu shook his head. "But that does not make sense. Our camp here had John along with the Gaat child."

"What? That's impossible, we just saw them for ourselves, inside the temple when Gaat contacted us."

"Gaat...contacted you?"

Jeff nodded. "Well, more or less. He has apparently...taken over Ebony's body."

"No," Hakuyu shook his head sadly. "Perhaps we are too late."

"What are you talking about?"

"If Gaat has fused with Ebony, he will need to move quickly to another host, for without a permanent Joining ceremony, the bond cannot last." Hakuyu looked at Jeff, his eyes full of sorrow. "We lost contact with our camp some time ago. It seems from what you say that they must have been attacked, and your son recaptured. It would explain much."

"I know you don't want me to go to the temple. Believe me, I don't want that sonofabitch possessing me any more than you do." Jeff thought for a moment. His eyes happened to land on the pod. "Oh, my God! Virgil!" With that, he took off running.

11:44:12

Scott watched from his seat near where Megan was desperately tending to Virgil's burns. She'd managed to cut the tethers and oxygen tanks from around his torso and had just gotten most of the uniform cut away from his back. Now she was gently sponging the areas to clean them as much as possible before she started applying medicinal gel.

She looked at Scott, her heart full of empathy for this man who was so clearly in pain himself, made more profound by the state in which they'd found his brother. That old pang came back to her chest when she realized just how close these two were. She re-wet the sponge and squeezed most of the water out of it before returning to dab at the back of Virgil's head.

Megan shuddered when she recalled the gut-wrenching cry she'd heard when Scott and Virgil had reached the pod floor. It seemed like forever 'til she got down there, but she'd discovered that in trying to get Virgil out of the lift, Scott had pulled his brother across his pant leg, ripping at the gauze that covered his own wound.

Now he sat there bleeding through his uniform pants, staring intently at Virgil as though by sheer force of will he could miraculously make him better. So intent was he upon his target she was sure he didn't hear the click resonate throughout the pod, and the resulting creak as the pod door began to swing down. Only when it was halfway did he react.

11:49:29

"It's not working," John finally said aloud.

"I know," Gordon responded, opening his eyes. "I wonder why not."

"Maybe it's because we're here in this place. Kyrano's always had trouble where his half-brother's concerned."

"I guess it could be. Damn. He was the only idea I had."

They were silent for a few moments.

"Hey, John?"

"Yeah?"

"Why...why did Gaat...Ebony...Gaat say I was going to die at the ceremony?"

"I don't know. I guess...a sacrifice?"

The brothers looked at each other. Fifteen feet separated them, but they could read each other's eyes as clearly as if they were standing nose-to-nose.

"I see you have failed to escape," boomed a voice that startled both Gordon and John. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, such a poor tribute to mighty International Rescue."

"Go to hell," Gordon replied.

"Oh, I have been there already," Belah laughed. "It is not a place in which I wish to remain."

John's eyes widened as a soldier came in with Zi, a chain in his hand attached to a metal collar she wore around her neck. Belah's grin was evil as the soldier handed him the lead.

"What do you think of my new pet, John?" he asked, pulling the woman over to the altar. "She is unspoiled and will make a fine first conquest once I have obtained your father's body."

John struggled against the bonds. "Damn you," he seethed. "Let her go."

"Wouldn't you like to watch your father making love to this sweet Lotus flower?" he asked, running a finger down Zi's cheek.

"Stop it!" John cried.

Gordon spotted something and his eyes widened.

_John!_ he cried out in his mind. _The bolt! Jerk again, jerk again!_

John's head whipped around toward his brother, eyes wide. He then looked down at the shackle holding his leg to the altar. Sure enough, it was now loosened. He looked back up at Belah, a smug look upon his face.

"Leave her alone or so help me, you'll wish you'd _stayed_ in hell."

Belah laughed. "You and your invisible army are frightening me, boy."

John jerked once...twice...and his leg was free. He swung it toward Belah, catching him off-guard on the side of the head. He dropped Zi's chain, and she ran forward to undo the other leg shackle as Belah howled and went sprawling on the floor. Zi moved quickly to John's right hand, then his left.

John vaulted off the table just as Belah rose to his feet. But John knew that even though the spirit belonged to the most evil man they'd ever met, the body was still Ebony's. And Ebony had hurt him. Roaring like a lion protecting its pride, John made a beeline for the face of the woman who had caused him so much pain and humiliation.

He had murder in his eyes.

11:58:46

Jeff ran up the pod door-turned-ramp as soon as it reached the ground. He raced to the back corner of the pod where Scott sat rigid upon a chair and Megan worked desperately on Virgil, who was stretched out on the floor face-down.

"Oh, no," Jeff breathed as he took in the extent of Virgil's injuries. He placed a hand on Scott's shoulder, but Scott didn't even acknowledge him.

They stood and watched as Megan spread gel over the last of the burns down near his tailbone. "I need to get him into a bed, face-down," she said. "I'd like to make him comfortable."

"Let's get him to sick bay, and I want you to fix Scott up, too."

"I don't need to get fixed up. Virgil's more important."

"You're _both_ important, son," Jeff said. "I'm lowering 2." He walked to a control panel on the wall and started raising the pod door.

"Wait, Scott!" he heard Megan cry. He froze and looked over to where they stood. "He's not breathing! He's not breathing!"

11:59:58

11:59:59

12:00:00


	17. Hour Seventeen

**Hour Seventeen**

_The following takes place between 12:00 a.m. and 1:00 a.m._

12:00:41

John slammed right into Ebony's body. They tumbled to the floor, rolling over and over as Zi ran to Gordon's side. She fumbled with his first shackle as she heard Belah yell from across the room.

"Hurry!" Gordon said, trying to see what was happening.

Ebony's hands went around John's throat as Belah flipped them so he was sitting on top of John. His face turned red. He grabbed Ebony's forearms.

Then he looked into her eyes.

_His_ eyes.

The eyes of Belah Gaat.

"John!" Gordon cried as he rose to a sitting position and struggled to help Zi remove his shackles. "John!"

At last he was free. Gordon and Zi ran around the second altar and skidded to a halt as they took in the sight before them.

Ebony's body and John were both bathed in a gray-blue bubble. Zi tried to run toward them, but Gordon grabbed her arm, pulling her back flush with his body as what looked like a puff of gray smoke left Ebony and settled over John's face.

"No," Gordon whispered. "John."

12:02:59

"Megan!" Jeff yelled as he skirted the Mole to get back to where they were.

Virgil was flat on his back, Megan puffing air into his mouth as Scott pumped his chest. The puddle of blood beneath Scott's leg went unnoticed as Jeff knelt at Virgil's feet.

"One and two and three and four and five and six and seven and eight and nine and ten and eleven and twelve and thirteen and fourteen and fifteen!" Scott breathed as he tried desperately to restart his brother's heart. Megan gave two puffs of air into Virgil's mouth and Scott began again. "One and two and three...!"

Jeff scooted closer and grabbed Virgil's wrist. No pulse.

_Virgil...no. Come on, Virgil. Come on._

Scott pumped. Fifteen reps. Megan puffed twice.

_Breathe, Virgil._

Fifteen more.

Two puffs.

_Virgil!_

"Wait!" Jeff barked. "I think I have a pulse!"

Scott and Megan froze.

"Yes. It's not strong, but it's steady enough." Jeff wiped his forehead with his sleeve.

_Thank you, God._

12:04:17

Scott's heart had nearly stopped as well and his lungs heaved as waves of relief washed over him. He bowed over Virgil, head nearly touching the spot where he'd just been performing CPR. Suddenly he was...so cold...he swayed as a wave of dizziness followed the relief. And swayed again as his world started spinning...spinning...around and around, color blurring...

The last thing he saw clearly was the front of Virgil's uniform as it seemed to come nearer. Then he fell forward, eyes closed. He just wanted to sleep.

_Sleep..._

12:05:04

"Scott!" Megan cried. Jeff jumped to his feet and lifted his eldest off Virgil. Scott was a couple inches taller than he and had considerably more bulk to add to it. It was all Jeff could do to get him to the front of the pod.

"Megan! Open the door!"

She ran to the regular-sized door on the left of the pod's larger door, where she was faced with yet another small control panel. She frowned and looked at Jeff.

"One-one-three-four-seven!" he barked.

She keyed the sequence in and the door slid open. Jeff strained under Scott's weight. Megan noticed him stagger and ran up to them, sliding her arms under Scott's body and next to Jeff's arms to try and help him support the unconscious man.

"Thank you," Jeff gasped. "Just go backwards, I-I'll tell you when to stop."

Their faces wore matching frowns as they moved through a short hall into Thunderbird Two's sick bay.

"Stop!" Jeff said, indicating a spot to his right with a nod of his head. "Bed."

She looked at it and realized the bulkhead was actually a fold-out bed. A single button to the left meant she could operate _this_ one without instructions. She pressed it and the bed slowly came out and down, clicking into place once it was horizontal.

Jeff rather unceremoniously dropped Scott onto the bed. "I've got to get Virgil."

"Alone?" Megan asked, eyebrows shooting up. "He's bigger than Scott!"

Jeff grabbed a towel from the small bedroom at the back of the sick bay and proceeded to mop his face with it. "Not by much, but you have a point. How _is_ Scott?"

"I think he passed out from blood loss. Of course, all my patients look this pale by the time I get to them."

Jeff stared at her for a moment then burst out laughing. "Oh, God," he said through his laughter. "Megan!"

She grinned. "I've got him strapped in. You wouldn't happen to have any blood matching his type on board, would you?"

"We have syntheblood that's a perfect match for each of us."

"Why does that not surprise me?" she asked, winking at him. "He'll be okay for a few minutes, let's get Virgil first."

Jeff nodded and indicated she should exit before him. "Megan, I have to get to that temple. I _have_ to try and rescue my sons."

"Do you want me to stay here with these two?" she asked as they entered the pod again. "I think they'll both be all right as long as I keep a close eye on them, and I can get Scott that transfusion."

"Could you? I...I don't want to leave you alone here."

She flashed a smile, quickly checking Virgil's carotid. She felt an even stronger pulse than before. "Don't worry, Jeff. Just lock us up tight. This thing can cloak, can't it? I remember something about that..."

"Yes. Okay, Megan," Jeff replied, picking Virgil up under his armpits. "Thanks."

She nodded, lifting his feet.

_God, can this family handle any more of this shit?_

They laid Virgil on a second bed across from Scott. Jeff showed Megan where to find all medical supplies including the syntheblood. Before he left, he stopped to look at his two eldest. "Be well, boys," he whispered. To Megan, he said, "Take care of them for me. Please."

"I'm going to do my best, sir. After all, I'm in love with one of them," she finished softly, her eyes on Scott.

12:11:23

Gordon and Zi backed away as John rose to his full height, silk crimson robe clinging to his sweat-soaked body. He seemed to falter for a moment before his eyes settled on Gordon's face.

"Hello. _Brother_."

Gordon jumped.

_Belah_

Zi's eyes grew wide as John approached them.

From the floor behind him, Ebony moaned. In her _own_ voice. She tried to raise herself up to a sitting position. In a flash, John's foot was on her chest, holding her down. She struggled against it and managed to scratch his leg. Belah's voice cried out. He reached down with one hand, wrapped it around her neck and squeezed, raising her into the air as he did so.

She fought, her arms and legs flailing wildly. Gordon stared in horror at the sight of his own brother trying to kill someone.

Ebony's arms and legs went limp.

Correction...as he _killed_ someone.

_My God. John._

John dropped Ebony's body to the floor and turned to face them. "And now," came Belah's voice, so incongruous with the Nordic features of John Tracy. "Now it's time to soil the perfection that is this Lotus blossom," he finished, reaching a hand out toward Zi.

She squealed and ran behind Gordon, grabbing his purple silk robe. He brought his hands backward slightly as if to somehow pull her into his body in an effort to hide her.

"John," he said softly. "John, it's me. It's Gordo."

"John is no longer here!" Belah spat as blue eyes flashed and turned nearly black.

"John, I _know_ you're in there!"

"Dai!" Zi cried from her hiding place. "Dai!"

"John Tracy no longer exists," Belah said menacingly as he moved several steps closer. "You shall be joining him."

_Oh, God, somebody help us._

Gordon looked around the chamber. On the wall...two huge swords. But no, they were too high. He couldn't reach them. Besides, what was he going to do, gut his own brother? He backed away, Zi moving in time with his steps.

_We have to get out of here._

Gordon glanced over at the entryway. He poked Zi with his left hand and waved in that direction, praying she understood. His muscles tensed as he rose to the balls of his feet. Glancing one more time at John advancing upon them, he whirled, grabbed Zi's hand and ran for the archway.

_We have to get out of here! We have to get to Dad!_

12:16:56

Megan had been busy getting the syntheblood hooked into an IV line and preparing to clean and dress Scott's leg wound, which looked like it might now be infected. She went past him to grab an antibiotic and filled a syringe. When she turned to give him the injection, she jumped in surprise at the two cobalt eyes looking right at her.

"Scott, you're awake!"

"Have been," he said, smiling weakly.

"How do you feel?"

"Like I'm running on E. You?"

"Scared out of my wits," she replied. "How long have you been awake?"

"Long enough to hear what you said to Dad."

Megan blushed crimson. "Oh," she replied, daubing his arm with an alcohol swab. She gave him the injection and covered the entry point with a cotton ball, applying pressure for a moment.

He reached his other hand over and placed it over hers. "Did you mean what you said?"

"Oh, I-I don't...uh..."

"Meg?"

She looked into his eyes and melted. "Yeah," she smiled. "I did."

He smiled as well, but his smile faded as beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. "I..." he faltered, closing his eyes. "Me...too..."

"Scott?"

But he'd lost consciousness again.

_Helluva time to fall in love, Crawford. Jesus, your timing sucks._

_Who are you kidding?_ she thought in response to her inner voice. _I fell in love with this man two years ago._

_Oh. Yeah. Right._

She took the transfusion needle and pressed it into his arm. "Time for that blood, Scott," she whispered. "I love you."

12:21:35

Jeff stood under Two's nose and stared at the scene before him. Standing and sitting beneath Thunderbird One's red tip were at least twenty Asian men. He gripped the butt of his pistol, but then noticed that Penelope and Parker were standing in the middle of them and Penny was talking.

He walked over, all senses on alert.

"Jeff!" she called when he was but feet away.

"Penny? What's going on?" he asked, joining her at the center of the group.

"These men are all members of the ancient Chinese family known as T'ang," she replied, nodding to the men surrounding them. "They wish to assist us in rescuing Gordon and John."

"They do?" Some of the men nodded. "But why?"

"Because," one of them said, stepping forward. "The Gaat and T'ang families have long been at war, Jeff Tracy. Ever since Beker Gaat, Radzi Belah's grandfather, killed his grandmother, Tsenden T'ang and her four sisters as revenge for our family wanting a share of the profits he was making in slave trading."

"Slave trading?"

The man nodded. "I am Sukh T'ang, named for our ancestor who descended directly from the House of T'ang which ruled ancient China for many years. We have never forgiven the dishonorable deed of Beker Gaat and later, his son Heng-Suan."

Jeff shook his head, confused.

"Heng-Suan was Radzi Belah's father. He killed my brother and my son. The youngest surviving member of the T'ang Dynasty descendants is Zi T'ang. She was helping take care of your son and the child when we were attacked by temple guards. Her father Li was killed. We can only assume she was taken with your son and the child, back to Gaat's temple."

"So you want to help us rescue Gordon and John...in exchange for us helping you rescue...Zi?"

Sukh nodded. "It is time to end the reign of terror that has been in place for far too long. The House of Gaat must fall once and for all. From what I know of your dealings with Gaat, I would have to believe you concur."

"I don't condone killing," Jeff said automatically. "The whole point of International Rescue is to save lives." He felt a wave of panic over these unknown people knowing the Tracys were IR, but with the Thunderbirds sitting right there, it wasn't like he could just explain it away.

"Then you need not participate in their deaths. Simply help us gain entrance with your technology. We will save your sons and Zi and _we_ will handle the eradication of the Gaat disease."

Jeff looked at Penny, who nodded slightly.

"Well, I have to admit that twenty or so people storming the temple makes for a lot better odds than three."

"Scott and Virgil?" Penny breathed.

"Alive, but injured. Megan's tending to them."

Penny nodded. "What do you think, Jeff?"

Jeff eyed Sukh warily. "How do I know you are who you say you are? That my son and that child were with you at some point?"

Sukh reached into his pocket and pulled out a shredded piece of lavender fabric. "This is all John Tracy was wearing at the time we found him in the jungle. He had escaped with Esunge, whom we later determined was _not_ the son of Gaat. We allowed him to bathe, gave him a change of clothes and fed him. I found this shortly after we were attacked."

He handed it to Jeff, who stared at what had obviously once been a sarong. "It's not enough. I don't know that someone else wasn't wearing this besides John."

Sukh nodded. "I can only tell you that when we found him, the tunnel he'd crawled through to escape the temple had collapsed. He had covered the baby with his body to protect him. And he would not let him out of his sight, standing up to all of us when I tried to take him."

Jeff's ears perked up. It sure sounded like something John would do.

_But can I __**trust**__ them?_

He looked back to where Thunderbird 2 sat silently. Where inside, two of his sons were seriously injured.

_Without them...I don't have a choice._

"Okay," Jeff finally said, rubbing the remains of the sarong between his thumb and forefinger. "But we need a plan."

"I agree," Sukh nodded eagerly. "We have an idea."

Penny walked over and clasped Jeff's hand as Parker, Jeff, Sukh and one other man gathered around a piece of paper Sukh produced from his pocket and spread on the ground.

"Here we are, here," Sukh said, jabbing his finger at a spot on the map. "The temple is a twenty-five minute walk that way," he said, looking up and pointing to the south. I have twenty-four men. You, the Lady and Parker make twenty-seven. I propose we take advantage of the tunnel your son used to escape. We can dig through the rubble to gain access. That way we will be able to enter the temple undetected. We will have the element of surprise in our favor."

"It's a sound plan, provided we can get through that tunnel," Jeff agreed. "Okay, before we go, do you need anything?"

"We have only a handful of weapons left," Sukh said. "And it is dark. We have but one lantern remaining."

"No problem," Jeff said, heading for Thunderbird One's rear hatch. "Sukh, I have something here that I want you and me to use to scout ahead." He pulled out Scott's hover bike.

Sukh nodded appreciatively.

Jeff actually smiled as he, Penny and Parker distributed weapons to the others. Scott and Virgil, though injured, were in good hands with Megan and safe inside Thunderbird 2, which was harder to get into than any bank vault when she was locked up tight. And now instead of just a meager group going in to get John and Gordon, he had a small army at his back, with a commander who seemed to have a good head for this type of thing.

For the first time in over sixteen hours, Jeff's spirits began to rise.

12:39:00

"I know you are here, Gordon Tracy. I can sense your thoughts."

Gordon held his breath, his arm around Zi. He'd managed to get her collar and chain off only minutes before, and cursed himself for his clumsiness in letting it drop only feet from where they now hid.

He tried to remember their surroundings. It was evidently the temple's kitchen, manned by at least twenty slaves. Two older women had stuffed them into a large wicker basket in one corner, then dumped towels on top of them and covered them with a lid. Gordon was mildly surprised they'd helped him. Any other slave they'd encountered running through the temple had either looked up at them only briefly or not looked at all.

He could hear Gaat barking something in Malay. _If only Kyrano were here to translate!_

Things started crashing and he tensed. Did Gaat suspect their hiding place? Gordon listened as he continued to yell and could hear the footsteps of slaves scurrying out of the way.

"You are _here_, Gordon!"

"Sir!" a different voice cried.

"Why do you interrupt me?" Belah bellowed.

"Your Excellency," the voice continued. "Your periphery guard has just returned from patrol. Thunderbirds landed and a force is mobilizing not more than twenty minutes away. And sir..."

"What is it?"

"They bear the emblem of the House of T'ang."

Gordon all-out grinned. His family was here. Soon enough, this would all be over. He squeezed Zi tighter with his arm.

"Come!" Belah barked, and Gordon heard his footsteps retreating.

Within a few seconds, the two older women returned and helped them out of the basket. They pointed to a small recession in the wall nearby. One of them motioned for them to go 'up' while the other made a circle with her thumb and forefinger, then made like her fingers of her hand were walking through the circle.

"A way out?" Gordon whispered. "Through there?" He pointed to the recessed wall as one of the women grabbed his hand and pulled him to it. She pointed up and there he saw it. A wooden trap door. He turned and held the woman's hands briefly. "Thank you," he smiled. She nodded and smiled in return. "Come on, Zi," he said.

But Zi wouldn't move, and shook her head. "Esunge," was all she said.

"What? The baby? No, Zi, we have to go _now_!"

Zi shook her head even harder. "Esunge!"

Gordon knew how important the baby was to his brother...well, _before_ Belah had taken his body over. If John did make it out of this unscathed and Gordon hadn't saved the child when he'd had the chance...

"Esunge," Zi pleaded with one of the women. Suddenly the slave turned and hurried out of the room.

Gordon balked. "We can't, Zi. If Gaat returns and finds us...we won't be able to get out!"

They were both startled by the sound of a child squealing. Looking up, the second older slave who'd helped them ran forward with a dark-haired, light-skinned baby in her arms. Zi lit up when she saw his face.

"Esunge!" she cried.

The boy giggled as she grabbed him from the woman's arms. She spoke softly in Chinese, cradling him close to her body.

Gordon looked relieved. "Can we go now?"

Zi turned to face him, her face radiant. "Wei chuán."

"I'll take that as a yes," Gordon grinned. "Now, come on!" He grabbed a chair and stood on it. Pulling at the door, he found it was stuck tight. He pulled and pulled until finally it began to creak. He gave one last, huge yank and the entire door crumbled, falling all over him and coating him in splinters of wood and dust. He coughed and choked. Zi giggled.

He looked down at her and frowned. "Very funny. Come here."

Gordon stepped down and took Esunge from her arms, then helped her onto the chair. She reached up and pulled herself through the opening, finding metal rungs to hold onto. Zi began to climb as Gordon looked down at Esunge.

"Can you put your arms around my neck?" he asked the baby.

Esunge frowned, clearly not understanding. Gordon grabbed his hands and wrapped the small arms around his neck. "Like this."

The child grinned and squealed. "Monkey! Monkey!"

Gordon laughed. "Yes, monkey. Now hold on!"

He reached up and grabbed a metal rung, pulling himself and Esunge into the dark crawlspace.

_Where the hell are we headed?_

12:51:32

Belah-in-John's-body watched the view screen in front of him. His control room was as large as the sacrificial chamber in which he'd held John and Gordon, but instead of altars and eternal flames, it was adorned with every conceivable type of computer and monitoring device in existence.

He recognized Jeff Tracy immediately in the group and almost salivated. "He is on his way," he said, smiling. "Soon the Joining ceremony will begin." He frowned as he looked at the rest of the group. "House of T'ang. You have never been able to defeat a Gaat. This night shall be no different."

He turned and strode out of the room, crimson robe fluttering in the breeze he created. "I no longer need Gordon or that stupid Zi," he growled, heading for the rear entrance of his temple. "Jeff Tracy is on my doorstep. I merely need to..._welcome_ him."

12:52:49

Zi hollered something down to him. Then he heard her grunting and surmised she'd reached some sort of exit at the other end of the shaft.

"Can you get it?" he called up to her as he continued to climb. Then he heard her give a yelp before a breeze of fresh air wafted down to him. "Great job, Zi!"

It was only a few short feet before he reached what he realized was the roof of the temple. They were near the back of it, a large, domed portion rising up before them. He looked and saw a chunk of rock broken into three pieces lying next to the hole he'd just emerged from.

Gordon's eyes widened as he pointed to the pieces of rock. "Did you do that, Zi?"

She smiled shyly.

"How?"

Zi's right leg went back as she took up warrior stance, her arms in front of her in an offensive posture. "Da ji!" she cried, and executed a perfect karate chop.

Gordon laughed. "Damn, I'm glad you're on my side!"

She placed the palms of her hands together and bowed to him.

"Come on," he said, handing the baby to her. "We've got to find a way off this roof."

Gordon walked to the edge and looked over the half-wall that surrounded the top of the temple roof. Moving toward the very back, he stopped at intervals to scan what was below. He got to the end and turned the corner, looking down as he went. He was just in time to see his brother get into a Jeep with three soldiers and drive away. They were followed by six more Jeeps full of even _more_ soldiers.

"He's leaving," Gordon whispered.

He heard Esunge let out a cry and turned to see what had caused it. As he did so, he leaned back into the wall. He heard a crack. Something hit the ground below and he froze.

And the wall gave way.

12:59:58

12:59:59

1:00:00


	18. Hour Eighteen

**Hour Eighteen**

_The following takes place between 1:00 a.m. and 2:00 a.m._

1:00:01

"Wú! Dang xin! Wú!" Zi screamed, putting Esunge down on the roof as she ran towards Gordon.

Gordon's eyes grew wide as he tumbled backwards, stretching one hand out toward Zi, scrambling for purchase where there was none to be had.

Zi reached out, but he was gone.

And then suddenly...not.

Zi stared open-mouthed as Gordon floated up into her line of sight, up still higher and moved over her head.

"Zi?" Gordon called down tentatively, eyes as wide as hers. She shook her head, evidently having no more idea how this was happening than he did.

And then Gordon looked down at the baby. His eyes were closed, his hands held before him, fingers pointed up toward Gordon. Gordon swallowed hard.

_My life is in the hands of an infant?_

Esunge's hands slowly moved down, and Gordon right along with them until at last Gordon's feet were firmly upon the rooftop. He stood there and stared as the baby opened his eyes and smiled widely. Zi's eyes followed Gordon's and suddenly she, too, realized what had happened.

"I don't believe it," Gordon breathed, walking over and picking up the child. "Did you just save my life?"

He giggled and wrapped his arms around Gordon's neck. "Monkey! Monkey!"

Gordon held him close. "Thank you," he whispered.

Zi approached them, a look of surprise still on her face. She pointed to herself and said, "Zi." Then she pointed to Gordon and cocked her head.

"Gordon," he said, smiling at her. "I'm Gordon. I'm John's brother."

"Goh-done."

He laughed. "Close enough." He took a minute to look around the roof, trying to figure out how they were going to get to the ground...without the aid of a crumbling wall, that was. That's when he noticed something in the corner. He handed the baby to Zi and walked over to where a large block of stone had been raised nearly four feet above the surface of the roof. It was suspended on four metal rods above an opening that looked to be a chute of some sort.

Without any light, he couldn't make out what was or wasn't in the tunnel, but he figured that was their only chance of escaping safely. He pointed it out to Zi, who peered into it, then nodded in understanding. She handed Esunge to him and gingerly let herself down into the opening.

"Monkey," Gordon said to the baby. He nodded solemnly, suddenly seeming so much older than his short years, and wrapped his arms around Gordon's neck. Slowly, Gordon followed Zi into the tunnel, and his thoughts strayed to the baby clinging to his chest.

How in the hell had the kid made him _levitate_?

And did he really want to know?

1:10:05

Belah-in-John's-body barked a command and his Jeep came to a screeching halt, the others following suit. A hand-held heat sensor told him...he frowned...what in the _hell_ was this?

He watched as a line of what was evidently people seem to crouch down and then slowly disappear from the indicator altogether. "They're going underground," he said aloud. He pointed to their left, and the Jeeps were in motion once more.

_Soon, Jeff Tracy. Soon we will become one._

1:12:18

Sukh led the way through the tunnel, with Jeff, Parker and Penny following him. The remainder of Sukh's men were still entering the tunnel when they heard the approaching vehicles. One yelled to the man in front of him, who yelled to the man in front of _him_, and on up the line until it reached Penelope's ears.

"Jeff!" she yelled.

"What?"

"The man behind me says someone is back at the tunnel entrance!"

"Who?"

"I don't know!"

"Damn," Jeff swore.

"He has found us."

"He?"

"Gaat," Sukh replied. "It could be no other now. We must be quick!"

"But your men!"

Sukh shook his head as he crawled forward on hands and knees. "Some sacrifice cannot be helped, Jeff Tracy. We all knew that going in, as did the head of the House of T'ang, the honorable Li, may he rest with our ancestors."

Jeff's mouth was a tight line of acknowledgement as they picked up their pace. "Hurry, Parker, Penny," he called back. "We've got to get to the temple before Gaat's men get us all."

He wondered how Scott and Virgil were, praying that with Gaat's men on the loose out in the jungle, they and Megan would be safe.

1:21:48

Megan watched as the fourth pint of blood drained into Scott's body. She had stripped him of his uniform, leaving him only in his underwear before covering him with a thermal blanket, and as a result of the heat and new blood, his sallow coloring was slowly turning to pink. His pulse was strong and steady, but he was very clearly dehydrated. She worked at setting up a saline solution IV in his other arm, made slightly more difficult by the fact that it was between his body and the ship's bulkhead.

"You need help?"

Megan squealed and nearly stuck to the ceiling, she jumped so high. Whirling, she saw Virgil leaning up on his elbow, large honey-like eyes boring into hers.

"My God, warn a girl, would you?" she squeaked. "I nearly joined you in heart-stop city!"

"Heart-stop city?" Virgil inquired. "Ow!" He sucked a breath of air in through his teeth as he lowered himself back down to the bed. "What the hell happened to me?"

"Well, as near as I can tell," she replied, finally getting the IV line into Scott's arm and fastening it down with tape, "you've been flapping around outside this ship like you think you're a bird, what...twice now?"

Virgil grinned wryly. "Sounds about right. Why am I on my stomach?"

"You got burned on the back of your head and neck, and about half of your back when your oxygen canisters exploded."

His hand whipped to the back of his head, but it was covered by gauze. "Why doesn't it hurt?"

"Lots and lots of pain meds. In fact, how the hell is it you're talking coherently?"

"Guess I'm used to 'em," he mumbled, frowning at the strange hairline he was feeling with his fingertips. "My hair."

"Yep. Singed. It'll grow back, though. I guess you guys get shot up with meds a lot in this line of work, huh?"

"More than I care to remember," was his reply. "You fix me up?"

"Yes. Scott's been getting a transfusion." She saw the look of concern as Virgil looked over to where Scott lay across from him. "Don't worry, Virgil. He's going to be okay. His color's really coming back. Anyway, I applied some syntheskin to the worst areas of burn, right between your shoulder blades. The rest should heal up fine, so it's covered with burn gel and gauze. I'm a little concerned about your ribs, though."

"My ribs?"

"You broke a couple, I'm sure of it. So don't move around too much. I can't do a whole lot with having to keep you on your stomach."

Virgil nodded. "I have a feeling that I'm going to be one hurting unit once these meds wear off." He stopped and watched Scott as Megan took Virgil's pulse and flicked a penlight into his eyes. "Are you sure he's going to be okay?"

"Yes. You both are. Now, you have a concussion, Virgil, and two nasty lumps on your head. I really think you ought to go back to sleep."

"Where's Dad?"

"He went to rescue John and Gordon from the temple."

"Gordon? What the _hell_ are you talking about?"

"Oh," Megan's face fell. "I'm sorry, Virgil. I forgot you didn't know. That Ebony apparently had Gordon kidnapped from the hospital in Kuala Lumpur, and has both him _and_ John now."

"I have to—aaaaaa!" Virgil cried out when he tried to move. "Unstrap me!" he ground out.

"Virgil, I promised your father I would look after you while he went to get your brothers. Besides, Scott needs you here."

"What are you talking about, he's unconscious," Virgil spat, glaring daggers at her.

"Yes, but you're close and he knows that. I think it's helping." She stared right back at him. "And glaring at me isn't getting you anywhere. You couldn't walk a straight line even if I _did_ let you up, you stubborn—"

Her words were cut off by a loud BOOM outside.

Suddenly Megan's sure-of-herself attitude was gone, her eyes widening in fright. "What was that?" she asked in a small voice.

"Give me that small remote against the wall over there," Virgil ordered. She dutifully brought it to him and watched as he was able to flip a video monitor down from the ceiling above Scott's bed. A few button-pushes later and they could see outside Thunderbird 2 to the jungle surrounding them. "Did Dad cloak us?"

Megan nodded. "I believe so, yes. We talked about it."

"Dammit, I need to get to the cockpit."

Megan swallowed and hesitated only a moment before nodding. She moved to undo the straps holding Virgil to the bed and watched as he struggled to stand, pain etching lines into his face with every movement.

"Help me," he gasped as pain shot through his torso.

She moved in and put his arm around her shoulders, sagging as he leant heavily on her. She'd been right – he was unsteady on his feet at best. She glanced back at Scott, who was only halfway through the next pint of blood before slowly helping Virgil move toward the cockpit.

1:39:50

Gordon had given up thinking about how a little kid could make him float, instead just being grateful that somehow it had indeed been possible. He coughed and choked a bit as Zi kicked dust up into his face. Grimacing with each movement of hands and knees, Gordon cursed the fact that the tunnel they'd found at the end of the vertical chute was made completely of stone. Hell on the joints.

"Zhong zhi!" Zi whispered fiercely. "Mou wù ting jiàn!"

He stopped just short of her hind end as she crouched in silence. Gordon, too, strained to hear, assuming she must've heard something, _wishing_ she spoke English for about the umpteenth time.

And then he heard it. Scraping. Sliding. There was definitely something...or some_one_ ahead of them. Gordon squeezed up next to Zi and handed Esunge off to her before scooting ahead of her. "Stay here," he whispered before crawling on.

He kept moving until his head banged into the wall. Evidently, the tunnel had taken a turn. In the darkness, he couldn't hope to have seen any changes like that. Rubbing his head and cursing silently, he reached out and felt along the wall to make sure it didn't happen again.

And that's when he saw the flash of light.

1:46:22

"Stop, Jeff Tracy."

The line of people behind Sukh all came to a halt.

"What is it?"

"I hear something up ahead." Sukh moved his head so the lamp he wore on the hardhat provided by Jeff was pointing straight ahead of them. He squinted, certain he'd seen something move. "There is a bend in the tunnel," he whispered to Jeff. "I believe I saw someone there."

"Let's you and I investigate," Jeff said as Sukh nodded. "Parker, Penny, let the others know we're checking something out ahead. Stay here, and watch your flank!"

"Yessir," Parker responded.

Jeff and Penny locked eyes before Jeff turned to follow Sukh ahead into the tunnel. "Lights off," he said. Sukh nodded and they extinguished their headlamps.

Slowly they moved forward, listening to hear anything above the sound of their own shuffling. They reached the bend in the tunnel. Just as they did, there was a loud shout and Jeff felt Sukh being knocked back into him.

_I know that voice!_

"Gordon!"

All movement ceased as suddenly as it had begun. "Dad?"

"Gordon?" Jeff shoved his way past Sukh, turning his light on as he moved. "Gordon?"

"Dad!" Gordon blinked in the blinding light, but felt the warm, comforting hand on his shoulder. "Dad, is that you?"

"Gordon, thank _God_!" Jeff squeezed his shoulder in the cramped space as Sukh looked on, quite confused. "This is my son, Gordon. One of the two Gaat was holding." He turned his attention back to Gordon as he heard a sound behind him. "Is that John? Have you both-?"

Gordon shook his head sadly. "No, Dad. This is Zi."

"Zi!" Sukh exclaimed as the woman came scooting forward. "Why do you have the child?"

"She wouldn't leave without him," Gordon replied. He noticed Zi looking strangely at Jeff. "This is our father," Gordon said slowly. He motioned toward Esunge, then indicated a small person next to a larger person with his hands. He then pointed at himself, making the small person gesture again, and to his father, making the larger person gesture.

Her face lit up. "Bà!"

Sukh nodded. "Wei, bà a John Tracy. Ben jia Jeff Tracy."

Zi's face fell as she held Esunge tight. "Jaun Tracy bào you dai. Dai a zhòng yì Gaat."

"No," Sukh breathed.

Gordon nodded. "I'm afraid so. Father, it's...it's John. He's..."

"He's what, son?" Jeff frowned, looking from Gordon to Zi and back again. "What about him?"

"Gaat's in his body," Gordon finally said. "First he was in Ebony and then..." He nodded toward Zi. "...then we saw this cloud thing go from Ebony into John. After that, when John talked, he sounded like..."

"Like Gaat."

Gordon nodded at Sukh's statement. "They left, him and a bunch of guards, in Jeeps."

"That must be who found the other end of this tunnel," Jeff said. "But Sukh, didn't you say he couldn't stay in a body for very long?"

"Not without the Joining ceremony."

"He wants you for that, Father. He was coming out here to get you."

1:58:11

Penelope was half-turned, whispering to the man behind her when a flash of something behind them caught her eye. She frowned and looked over and around the men lined up behind her. "What was that?" she whispered.

Parker sidled up next to her. "Wot was wot, milady?"

"A flash of something, back there," she replied. "Everyone, turn off your torches!"

A few mumbled words in Chinese later, and that part of the tunnel was dark. Penelope held her breath as she stared behind them. Then were was another flash, this time accompanied by a red laser blast. The man at the back of the line screamed in agony before falling silent.

"We're h'under h'attack, milady!" Parker cried, shielding her with his body. "Move h'up, move h'up!"

"Come on, everyone!" Penelope yelled to them. She switched her headlamp back on and began scrambling forward, Parker following suit. Another laser blast and another cry of pain. She moved even faster.

Soon they could see the lamps from the other party ahead. "Jeff!" she called out.

"Penny!" His face appeared around the corner. "Penny, was that-?"

"Yes! Quickly, we must move ahead _now_!"

Parker stumbled and fell on his chin, bringing the chain behind Penny to a banging stop. Another laser blast was fired.

Lady Penelope screamed.

Jeff's stomach flopped. "Penny! _No_!"

1:59:58

1:59:59

2:00:00


	19. Hour Nineteen

**Hour Nineteen**

_The following takes place between 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m._

2:02:33

"According to my scanners, there's a large group of people down there – can you see them out the cockpit window?"

Megan leaned over the right side of 2's control panel, craning her neck to see what she could. "Yes, I see a few."

"Shit," Virgil breathed as he tried to rise but fell back into his chair. "I can't—tell me what they look like."

"They're all dressed alike," Megan offered. "They've got partial armor on. It's like a dark brown with black...I don't know...stuff...engraved in it."

"And they're _all_ dressed that way?"

She nodded. "Yes." Then she peered to her right. "Oh! Wait! No! There's another one over there, he...oh, my God. Oh, my God, Virgil, it's...it's John!"

"It's _what_?" Virgil sprang to his feet, completely ignoring the pain it caused him. "Where?"

"There!" Megan pointed, backing out of the way.

Virgil looked. Sure enough, there stood his brother dressed in a long, crimson robe that fluttered in the breeze. He was holding something up toward Thunderbird 2. Virgil watched as John seemed to study whatever was in his hand, alternately looking up as he did so. Then his hand swung over 'til it was pointed directly at the cockpit. Before Virgil's eyes, his own brother picked up a rocket launcher, steadied it on his shoulder and took aim at the exact spot Virgil watched from.

"No," he breathed. "No, John, what...what are you doing?"

Virgil's legs began to shake. Then his arms. Then his entire body. There was nothing to grab on the control panel and he began to collapse.

"Virgil!" Megan cried, trying to prop him up. But his weight was far too much for her to handle alone, and they fell to the cockpit floor.

"Megan, stop...stop him!" He was shaking so hard now he couldn't even see straight. "Comm...outside comm..."

"How?" Megan asked, struggling to pull her legs out from under his back. "I don't know how!"

"Bottom...left," he ground out through chattering teeth. "Box of nine..."

Megan finally extricated herself and went to the opposite side of the pilot's chair. She looked at the complex operating console in front of her, fingertips brushing lightly over the lower left portion until she saw nine small, flat buttons in the shape of a square.

"Got it!"

"Lef...lef...shi..."

Megan frowned and looked down at him. He was leaving the t's off his words.

_Oh, no._

"Lef...'wice...'op...mih'le...one..." Virgil stuttered. He closed his mouth, working his jaw as though he didn't quite have control of it.

_Oh, God, Virgil._

"I have it. Left twice, top middle once. What next?"

"Mih'le 'hree..." His eyes widened. "Wha—'egan, 'ell him 'op, 'ell Ch...cho...Chon...'op..." Virgil's eyes rolled back, only the whites showing as he collapsed completely.

"Virgil! Oh, God, no!" Megan tapped the last buttons and there was a small beep. "John!" she yelled into the air. "John, stop! Please! Don't shoot, it's Scott and Virgil, please don't shoot!"

She stepped up into the pilot's chair and looked out the window. Then a menacing voice reached her ears.

"Good. Then I shall have two more brothers out of the way."

And he fired.

2:22:40

In the confusion that followed, Jeff hadn't realized the tunnel wall between him and Penelope had been hit by the last laser blast. He'd shoved past Sukh, but the man had pulled him back just in time. Now, as they all choked on the resulting dust, it was all Jeff could do to remain calm enough to check on the well-being of those nearest him.

Gordon had pushed Esunge and Zi to the floor, covering them with his body. All three were relatively unharmed save a couple of bumps and bruises. Sukh was coughing harder than any of them, and when Jeff pointed his light toward Sukh's eyes, he found them bulging, and Sukh's lips turning blue.

"What's wrong?" Jeff asked, shaking his newfound friend. "Talk to me, Sukh, come on!"

The man grabbed his own throat. "A—" he coughed. "A—a—as—"

"Asthma?" Jeff asked.

Sukh nodded.

"Oh, God. Inhaler. Do you have an inhaler?"

Sukh indicated a pocket on the leg of his pants. Jeff unsnapped the pocket and reached in, but his face fell as his fingers found their target. Slowly he pulled the object into view.

It was the inhaler. But it was smashed. The small metal portion containing the medicine Sukh badly needed to open his airways had been punctured by falling rock, emptying it of its contents.

"God, Sukh, I-I'm so sorry."

Sukh's wheezing grew worse when Jeff showed him the useless inhaler. It was then that Zi and Gordon realized what was happening.

"Wú! Sukh shang wú, Sukh shang wú!" Zi cried, handing Esunge to Gordon. The child had begun to cry and Gordon cradled him, trying to keep him calm as he looked sadly upon this man his father and Zi evidently held a great respect for. Zi scrambled to hold Sukh's head in her arms.

"Bù xíng le," Sukh gasped as Zi smoothed his hair. "Wo de chà nà. Zi." He reached up and touched her forehead. "Guai wan er. Shuài ling...bèi fèn T'ang."

"Bù jiù xù."

"Zhi néng," Sukh gasped. "Zi...yí liú. Bù dào huáng...hé xin bù si."

Tears streamed down Zi's face. "Zhuàng liè Sukh," she whispered. "Gào bié."

Sukh's breath came in short gasps now. Jeff reached out and grabbed his hand. "Thank you, Sukh."

Sukh nodded and the ghost of a smile graced his lips as the last breath escaped them. Zi bowed over him as Jeff's eyes squeezed shut. He felt Sukh's hand release his. "Good-bye, my friend."

2:34:17

Megan had no idea what had happened.

Just as John looked like he might fire on Thunderbird 2, the craft had sprung to life, rockets firing and shooting them into the air so fast she'd been thrown from the chair, hitting her head on the back wall of the cockpit.

Now, as she looked around, she realized Virgil was still on the floor near the console...but someone else was in the pilot's seat. Rubbing her head, she managed to pull herself to her feet. When she got a look at the pilot, her heart skipped several beats.

"Scott!"

"Nice of you to join me," he quipped, his eyes not leaving 2's console. "Damn!"

"What the—what happened?"

"I woke up in the back there," Scott said, his voice strong and steady. "The video monitor screen was on and I saw John lift a rocket launcher – what the _hell_ was he doing?"

"I-I don't know, Scott," Megan replied, grabbing the back of the chair to steady herself. "But how...did Thunderbird 2 go...up?"

"I accessed remote console control from back there and shot her into the air. Just in time, too." Scott pounded his fist on the console. "Why the _fuck_ was my brother trying to blow us to smithereens?"

Megan dropped down on her knees. "Where are you taking us?"

"I haven't got a clue. I'm going to have to move farther away in order to get a spot big enough to land." Scott looked down and to his right. "I didn't have a chance to check on him," he whispered. "Is he...?"

"No," Megan replied, finger over Virgil's carotid. "His pulse is strong, but..."

"But what?"

"I'm very worried, Scott. Just before he passed out he was shaking uncontrollably. He didn't look like he had control over his own body, and...he..."

"What? Meg, spit it out!"

You didn't argue with _that_ tone of voice.

"It was his speech. He started dropping letters and was having a very difficult time trying to form words."

"So? What does that mean?"

Megan looked up, eyes meeting his. "Brain damage."

Scott turned away just in time to keep Megan from seeing the tears that formed in his eyes. "I'm going for a hospital," he said gruffly.

Megan nodded. She didn't dare move Virgil. Who knew what all was wrong with his body? After what he'd been through today it was amazing he was still alive at all. That's when she noticed the left side of his head. She remembered having seen a lump there earlier, when he'd been back in the sick bay, but now...

"Oh, no. Scott!"

"What?"

"How long 'til we reach the hospital?"

"I won't take him to KL. That's where Gordo was kidnapped from. There could still be men there. Let me see..." He started to punch up a map of the area.

"Scott, there's no time."

He looked down at her. "What are you talking about?"

"I know what the problem is." She pointed to the side of his head. "Hematoma. His brain might be swelling or at the very least getting damaged by internal bleeding."

"Can you stop it?" Scott asked, barely concealing his panic.

"I...dammit, I don't know! I'm a pathologist, Scott, not a brain surgeon!"

"You have to try!"

"But what if I do something wrong? I could kill him!"

"If you don't try, my brother is going to _die!_" Scott bellowed.

She looked up at him again. "I can't remove a section of his skull safely, Scott. Not here." A tear trickled out the corner of Scott's eye as Megan softly stroked Virgil's cheek.

_He can't die. Not after everything we've done to keep him alive. Just look at him. And look at Scott. He'll...he'll die, too, if his brother does._ She squeezed her eyes closed, then opened them again as she took a deep breath. _He's right. I have to try._

"What about Brains?" Megan asked. "Can he help me? Isn't he a doctor?"

"Yes!" Scott crowed, slamming his hand down on the control panel. "Base! Come in! _Base_!"

2:46:56

Penelope struggled to get out from under Parker, who wouldn't move no matter what she said to him. But he was so heavy! Why wouldn't he move? Parker wasn't _that_ big, surely she should be able to...

She heard someone speaking in Chinese and Parker began moving. Before long she was freed, and she turned to thank Parker for protecting her. The T'ang man now holding Parker looked at her apologetically. She frowned, guessing he probably felt bad for the tunnel having caved in above...above them.

Penny looked up. Instead of the tunnel's rock ceiling, she saw jungle canopy surrounding them. And heard the shouts of men in the distance.

That's when she looked back down.

That's when she saw her butler. Her friend.

"Parker?"

The man holding him shook his head.

_It can't be...it can't be..._

She reached out and picked up his limp arm. She placed her fingers over his wrist. There was no pulse.

"I am sorry, Lady Penelope," the man holding him said. "But his back was broken by the rock. He saved your life."

"Again," she breathed, the lump in her throat causing an involuntary sob.

But there was no time for tears. Voices outside above-ground grew nearer. The Chinese man laid Parker gently on the tunnel floor.

"Where..." Penelope took a deep breath. "Where are your men?"

"Gone. Captured or dead now. Tunnel collapsed behind us."

"Jeff?" Penny turned and saw the way in front of them was blocked as well. "What's your name?" she asked the man.

"Lao-tzu. You may call me Lao." He raised his laser rifle over his head as he rose to his full height and peered into the jungle. "Turn off your lamp."

Penelope complied. "I have to find Jeff."

"No time. They are almost here. Those are Gaat's men."

"How do you know?"

"They speak the language of the Malay. Come. Quickly!"

Penelope turned her headlamp back on and gazed down upon the face of the man who had saved her life twice now in one day. A man she'd thought she'd lost, only to find again...and lose one last time.

"Thank you, Parker," she whispered, placing a kiss on his cheek. "You shall always be remembered." She looked up and grabbed the hand Lao held out to her just as a shot rang out overhead.

2:56:24

"That's the situation, Brains," Scott said, his voice showing none of the emotion he'd felt minutes earlier. "Megan's just gotten him back to the bay, but she can't do this alone."

"A-All right, Scott. Patch me through to her. There i-isn't a moment to, uh, lose."

_Please, Brains. Please help him._

Scott's breath came haltingly as he tried to keep the panic at bay.

_God, please let Megan's hands be steady. Save him. Please don't let him die._

Tears welled up in his eyes, spilling over onto his cheeks, dripping off his jaw into the hair on his bare chest.

_I love him so much..._

2:58:00

"What do I do first?"

Brains could hear the soft _beep-beep_ of a mobile heart rate monitor. "I-I see you have the oxygen in place a-and the pulse monitor o-on his finger."

Megan nodded.

"Uh, that's good. Now, you have to shave the hair away from the area that's swelling. You, uh, won't have to do any cutting, Megan, so don't w-worry."

"I won't?" she asked, fetching the small electric razor from a nearby drawer. She switched it on and began shaving the affected area. "But how will we stop the swelling?"

"Y-You'll see. Just get the area shaved completely a-and clean it with alcohol."

In no time, the entire left side of Virgil's head above his ear had been shaved clean. Megan opened a bottle of alcohol, pouring a generous amount on a sterile towel. Just as she touched his head, Virgil's entire body jerked off the bed, completely rigid.

"No! Shit! Brains!"

Suddenly Scott was standing in the doorway. "What is it? What's happened?"

"He's seizing!" she cried.

"Virgil!"

Brains' brow furrowed as Virgil's body relaxed back onto the bed, but continued to shake. Scott ran to his brother's side, barely missing Megan as she backed away. His left hand cupped Virgil's face.

"Virg! Come on! Let it go, come on!"

The next sound heard made everyone freeze.

2:59:58

2:59:59

3:00:00


	20. Hour Twenty

**Hour Twenty**

_The following takes place between 3:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m._

3:00:04

_No._

The same word thought by three different people. It was Brains who sprang into action first.

"Scott! Start CPR! Megan, quickly, the third cabinet on your right!"

Megan pulled the door open and found something wrapped in sterile plastic.

"Cut it open, you must use this on Virgil's head _immediately_!"

Megan grabbed a scalpel and tore the cover off it, then used it to cut the wrap off the object she held. It was a pliable rectangle with a keypad on one side and a strange material she could not identify on the other.

"What is it?"

"It will scan that area of his head and determine the cause of the swelling. Place it over where you shaved and press the far left, top button."

Megan did as instructed and was horrified when the unit attached itself to his head. Blood trickled down onto the bed below.

"What the hell is it _doing_?"

"Sending small electrodes inside to give me a scan," Brains replied, looking at something down and to his left.

Megan turned and watched as Scott pumped his brother's chest for the second time that day, then puffed air into his mouth.

"Got it!" Brains exclaimed. "He's got internal bleeding and a skull fracture is allowing the blood to leak out of his skull. I-It must have put pressure on his speech center before it finally pushed through the bone."

"What do I do?"

"You just need to remove the scan unit to allow the blood to drain through the holes created by its electrodes, and help Scott get his heart started again!"

Megan nodded and grabbed a large towel from the first cabinet next to the bed. She rolled it and placed it under Virgil's left ear, the entire length of his head. Scott came to the end of his next round of fifteen compressions. Megan leaned in and puffed two breaths of air into Virgil's mouth.

Compressions.

Brains watched with concern.

Puffs.

Megan stared as the blood poured from four small holes in Virgil's head.

Compressions.

"VIRGIL!" Scott cried. In frustration, he balled his hands together into one giant fist, raised it into the air and came down hard on his brother's chest.

_Beep...beep...beep...beep...beep..._

Scott let out a sob of relief, collapsing onto Virgil's legs, hands gathering the material of his brother's uniform as he fought to control himself. Brains beamed from the video screen as Megan wiped her eyes. She laid a hand on Scott's trembling back.

"You did it," she said softly. "Again."

He raised himself up and looked at her, then Brains. "Thank you," he breathed. They heard an insistent beeping from the front of the plane. "I have to get back to the cockpit. We're nearly at the hospital."

Though shaky, Scott managed to get to his feet without assistance. Brains and Megan watched him go, both wondering how in the hell he was still standing at all.

Only when he was safely out of everyone's sight did Scott sag against the bulkhead. One shaking hand wiped moist eyes. The beeping continued and he managed to look out the cockpit window as he moved to take the pilot's seat.

_Thank you, God._

Scott turned 2's autopilot off.

_Thank you._

3:07:37

Jeff, Gordon, Zi and Esunge had continued along the tunnel toward the temple. He'd agonized over whether to look for Penelope, but the sounds of weapons had reached their ears, and reluctantly he admitted that they needed to head for their original destination. They _had_ to save John...somehow.

And Jeff knew the only way to do that was to offer himself to Gaat in exchange for his son. He'd rather Zi, Gordon and the baby weren't along for this. After all, what could they do against one as powerful as a man who could return from the _dead_?

What could any of them do?

Finally, they'd reached a point at which they could go nowhere but up.

"It's a chute that leads to the roof," Gordon explained, disbelieving the fact that he was about to go back to the place he'd just escaped from. "But Dad...you can't go."

"Of course I can."

"Dad, he'll capture you and then what? Possess you? Permanently! Is that what you want?"

"Of course it's not!" Jeff yelled, the events of the day taking their toll. "What am I supposed to do? Let him keep bouncing from person to person indefinitely?"

"We could just leave!" Gordon pleaded. Then he realized the implications of that statement. "No, I...of course we couldn't," he whispered. "Not without John."

"Exactly. And that bastard's got him. The only way I can handle this is to face Gaat myself."

Jeff's comm watch suddenly lit up. He looked down to find the face of Kyrano looking serenely back at him.

"You will not be alone, Jeff," his friend said softly. "The only way to stop what Evil has begun is for us to face him. Together."

"Kyrano? How?"

"You must allow me into your mind."

"I...how?"

When the moment is right, Jeff, you will know."

"Gordon," Jeff said firmly, "You stay well behind me. Keep the woman and child safe."

"No way, Dad. I'm going with you."

"Gordon-!"

"Who's going to get John out of there if something happens to you?"

Jeff stared back at him and sighed. "I just...this is an impossible situation."

"Never give up," Gordon whispered, grasping his father's forearm.

Finally, Jeff nodded. "At any cost." He sighed again. "Fine. But I go first."

Jeff began climbing up the chute, using the small metal rungs as both hand and footholds. He felt the night air as they got closer and closer to the roof. At last they reached their destination, and he popped his head through the opening. The coast was clear. He hoisted himself up onto the roof and helped Gordon up, then turned to survey their surroundings as Gordon helped Esunge and Zi.

"How'd you get up here before?" he asked as Gordon came to his side and they walked together toward the raised, dome portion of the roof.

A cold laugh froze them in their tracks.

"Ah, Jeff Tracy. At last."

3:19:11

Penelope ran as fast as she could, Lao close behind. Large leaves reached out and whipped against her body, slicing through her clothing and into her skin, but she ignored them. A vine nearly tripped her, but Lao's strong hands lifted her and put her down again, feet still running.

If it hadn't been for her headlamp, she would've ran smack-dab into the temple wall.

Startled, she skidded to a halt on the slippery undergrowth, Lao nearly ramming right into her. They both stared up and realized it was the side wall. There was a clearing near them along the rear of the temple, and Penny sprinted for it. She and Lao broke out of the jungle into an open space and Lao gasped, pointing up to where his eyes were looking.

High above them, atop the temple's roof, stood a figure with crimson robes fluttering in the breeze. Penny extinguished her headlamp as she and Lao retreated back into the cover of the jungle.

"That was John!" she whispered fiercely to her companion.

Lao nodded and opened his mouth to reply. But he was cut off by a scream from above.

3:25:41

Zi's eyes were wide with horror as Belah pushed her over the low wall along the roof's edge. Gordon roared and made to head-butt his brother as her screams filled the night. But John held his hand out and an invisible barrier threw Gordon sprawling onto his back. He howled as the syntheskin tore away, pebbles and dirt grinding into raw flesh.

"Damn you!" Jeff cried. "Get out of my son's body!"

"Gladly," Belah purred, twisting John's face into a sickening smile. "Come with me and your son shall soon be free."

"Dad! No!" Gordon cried as Esunge crawled over to him.

"Gordon! Get out of here while you can! _Now!_"

"Dad, no!" He shot to his feet as John grabbed Jeff's arm and led him away. "Dad!"

John turned and, with a flip of his hand, swiped Gordon's feet out from under him. He landed hard on his ass, barely missing Esunge's head. He scrambled back up to his feet...but they were gone.

"Dad!" Gordon cried, lifting the baby and running to the other corner of the roof. "Dad, where are you?"

Jeff and Belah had vanished.

3:29:06

"Good catch!" Penelope enthused as Lao lowered the young Chinese lady to her feet. "Who are you?" she asked.

"Zi!" Lao exclaimed. He turned to Penny. "This is Li's daughter! The one Ebony held captive with your John Tracy!"

"Zi, listen to me," Penelope said, looking earnestly into her eyes. "Where is John? Did you see John?"

She began speaking rapidly in Chinese, and Penny looked to Lao for help.

"She says," he began as Zi continued her story, "that John Tracy is possessed by Gaat, and that one called Goh-done and Jeff Tracy are upon the roof with him. The child of Ebony is there as well."

"Jeff?" Penny cried. "Jeff is there?" She craned her neck back to try and see the rooftop.

Zi continued to babble.

"She, Esunge and Goh-done met Jeff and Sukh in the tunnel as they made their escape. The tunnel collapsed and they made their way back to the roof. Sukh..." Lao faltered. "Sukh died in the tunnel."

"I'm so sorry," Penelope said, placing a hand on the girl's arm. "Lao, we must do something. If we don't, Gaat is going to take over Jeff's body and we won't be able to do anything about it!"

"I know," Lao replied. He spoke to Zi rapidly and received just as fast a response. "She knows where the ceremony is to take place. We must enter. There is a door here."

"Won't there be guards?"

"There should have been guards already. I would guess those chasing us back there were the bulk of Gaat's soldiers. It would explain why we have not yet been killed."

"Good point," Penny nodded. "Right, then let's get in there!"

Lao nodded and crept to the back door. Just as he reached for the latch, it swung open.

3:36:16

"Gordon!" Penelope cried out.

"Esunge!" Zi exclaimed, rushing to grab the baby from Gordon's arms. "Goh-done!"

"_That's_ Goh-done?" Penelope asked, very nearly laughing. "_Gor_don!" she said, and Lao chuckled.

"Language barrier," he said, staring at the Chinese woman. "How in the _hell_ is she still alive?"

"Lao caught her. Where...where are they?"

He turned to look at her, eyes serious. "They've disappeared, I-I don't know where they are, I don't know what happened, we were on the roof and then...Dad, he took Dad, Penny! John took Dad!"

"John? Yes, I saw him on the roof. What do you mean he took your father?"

"He's...he's not himself, Penny. Gaat's in him."

Lao shook his head. "We must hurry. If Gaat is allowed to complete the Joining ceremony, neither John Tracy nor Jeff Tracy stand a chance." He turned and said something to Zi, who nodded and, with one last look at Gordon, turned and walked into the jungle.

"Where is she going?" he asked.

"I have told her to keep safely hidden," Lao replied. "She is the last surviving blood relative of the House of T'ang. She must not die."

Gordon nodded as he and Penelope followed Lao into the temple.

3:38:52

Megan watched as the doctors worked on Virgil. Then she moved to the ER bay next to his and watched the doctors _trying_ to work on Scott, who was having none of it.

"I don't need any doctors!" he proclaimed. "I've already had the best care I could!"

She blushed in spite of herself.

"Now let me see my brother!"

"Sir, if you don't stay out of their way, they won't be able to do their jobs!"

"Scott, he's right, you know," Megan said as a nurse came up to take her pulse.

Scowling, it was all he could do not to jump off the bed. "Well, then, hurry it up so I can get to Virgil."

Megan grinned as the doctor pushed Scott back on the bed and brought over a mobile X-ray machine.

"What's that for?"

"Well, Dr. Crawford here says you were shot. I see only an entrance wound. That means you've got a bullet stuck in your leg."

His scowl deepened. "Well, then, get it out," he grumbled.

Megan stifled a laugh as she wandered back to check on Virgil. "Who's his brother?" one of the doctors tending to him called out.

"I am!" Scott said, jumping off his bed and running into Virgil's bay.

"We have to just patch his head up a bit, but I'd rather take him to the OR for it. He also has some broken bones we have to fix and I have a neural team standing by to check out his brain."

"Okay."

"Oh, and his sternum appears to be cracked."

Scott turned crimson. "Oops."

Megan peeked around the curtain. "You'd better hope he doesn't find out _you_ did that!"

"What? It was to start his heart, for God's sake!" He clamped his mouth shut as he took in her teasing face. "You're right. He's never going to let me live this down."

"Scott!"

He turned as he heard that damnable doctor call his name from the next bay over. "Just a minute!" He turned back to Virgil's doctor. "Is he...I mean, will he...?"

"He's going to be fine. Whatever you did for him before you got here did the trick. It seems the bleeding from his head has stopped completely. Now why don't you get over there where you belong? Dr. Craven has been known to get a bit...brutal with unruly patients."

"Unruly?" Scott repeated. Then he turned to see the doctor staring him down. "Damn."

Megan laughed.

3:45:33

Jeff had allowed himself to be bathed by six female slaves. The process sickened him, how the women did what John..._Belah_...commanded, without question. He wasn't keen on so many women not only seeing him naked but also touching him everywhere, but they didn't even seem to notice his body. It was something they did by rote, he surmised.

John..._Belah_...stood nearby, not daring to leave Jeff alone long enough for him to try and escape. _That_ was the scrutiny that greatly bothered Jeff. Especially when Belah chose to bring it out into the open.

"For a man of your age, Jeff Tracy, I must say you _are_ fit." John's face grinned menacingly. "I believe I shall enjoy being in possession of that body. And as long as I am careful, your _wife_..." Here he fingered the wedding ring he'd taken from Jeff's hand. "_My_ wife will never know the difference, and I shall have an English lady in my bed."

"You _bastard_," Jeff seethed. "She'll know the difference. She'll know it immediately."

"It is no longer of your concern, Jeff Tracy. Soon you shall join those below and forever be lost to those you _love_!" He spat the word as though it burned his tongue to say it.

Finally the women finished bathing him, and led him up the stone steps and out of the huge bath. While three toweled him dry, the other three began rubbing warm oil everywhere their fingers could reach. Jeff squirmed both under their ministrations and under the watchful eye of his son-turned-captor.

"John, I know you're still in there," he said softly, looking at the familiar, but now _so_ different face. "I know you can hear me."

"You proceed under a false assumption."

"What's that?"

"That your son's soul is still in existence."

Jeff raised his chin defiantly. "Of course it is. You couldn't join with him permanently, which means his soul is still his."

"Conceded," John's face smirked. "For now." Belah's voice barked something in Malay and the women slipped a golden robe over Jeff's head, helping him get his arms into the proper holes. "Come, Jeff Tracy," Belah said, turning on heel. "It is time."

_God, John, what has he done to you?_ Jeff closed his eyes, allowing the women to lead him through the temple. _Kyrano, what do I do? When do I do it?_ He could hear nothing in his mind like he had two years ago...when Kyrano had contacted him before. _Kyrano, __**how**__? How will I know when it's right? How?_

3:52:46

Gordon, Penny and Lao made it halfway across the great cavernous room before they heard anything. The three of them stopped, backing against one another to form a triangle of safety, facing all possible points. Gordon was facing the front of the room, and stared curiously as a beaded curtain parted to reveal a life-sized statue of someone he knew all too well.

"Kyrano?" he said softly.

The statue was made of darkened bronze. Shadows created by the eternal flames dancing 'round its based flickered across the smooth surface. Gordon blinked. He could've _sworn_ he saw the facial expression change.

"I see nothing," Lao said, startling Gordon. "You?"

"No," Penelope responded. "Gordon?"

"Nothing except..."

"Except what?" Penelope asked, turning to face him.

"Look up there," Gordon said, pointing up to the head of the Kyrano statue. "Watch it and tell me if you see anything strange."

"It's Kyrano."

"I know. Just _watch_ it. Watch the face."

Penelope watched. Lao turned and watched. Gordon kept on watching, his eyes never leaving their target.

Nothing happened.

"What is it you think you saw, Gordon?"

"I...oh, never mind. It has to be my mind playing tricks on me."

"From what Zi told me," Lao said, scanning their surroundings, "I believe I know where the ceremony will occur."

"Good. Lead the way," Penny said.

Lao moved across the floor in front of the statue. Penelope followed. They were all the way to the opposite wall and had just begun moving down a long hall when Penny realized Gordon was no longer behind her. She grabbed the back of Lao's shirt.

"Wait," she said, turning around. "Where's Gordon?"

They walked back to the mouth of the hall. He was nowhere to be seen.

"Oh, no," Penny whispered. "You don't think someone's grabbed him, do you?" A sharp gasp surprised her and she looked at Lao's face. "What?"

Lao's mouth opened but no sound emerged. He could do nothing but point. She followed his arm and finger up into the air.

There, suspended in mid-air more than fourteen feet above the floor, was Gordon Tracy.

He looked...dead.

3:59:58

3:59:59

4:00:00


	21. Hour TwentyOne

**Hour Twenty-One**

_The following takes place between 4:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m._

4:01:32

Penelope and Lao stared in wonder.

"Gordon?" she whispered as loudly as she dared. It was then she noticed the ring on her right fourth finger blink rapidly three times before going dark again. In spite of Gordon's curious current state of being, Penny smiled.

"Did your ring just light up?"

"It did."

"What does it mean?"

"That our Ace in the Hole has arrived."

Lao cocked an eyebrow at her. "Ace...in...the Hole?" he repeated slowly. "What does this mean?"

"It means we're not yet dead in the water."

Thoroughly confused, Lao looked back up toward Gordon just as he slowly began floating downward. "I do not know about water, Lady, but your Gordon is returning."

Penny raced over as Gordon's body became level with her face. He turned slightly so his legs were pointed more toward the floor, then continued his descent. She reached out and grabbed his hands as Lao moved behind him and supported his back. Whatever had been holding him up suddenly disappeared.

The two held him upright as Penny checked his carotid. "Steady pulse," she breathed. "Thank God. I wonder what happened to him?"

"I would suspect magick," Lao replied. She looked around Gordon's body at him, surprised to find that he looked quite serious.

"Gordon," she said, squeezing his hands. "Gordon, wake up."

His eyelids fluttered, but he didn't move.

"Gordon, please. Wake up for me. We have to get your father and John. Please, Gordon."

"I'll help him, Penelope," a female voice echoed in the cavernous room.

Lao jumped, nearly dropping Gordon in the process. They turned to see a thin figure clad all in black from head to toe. Only her eyes were visible, and they were hazel.

"Tin-Tin, thank heavens. I wasn't certain you were coming."

"Right on schedule, Penny," she replied, staring for a moment at the statue of her father on the nearby dais. "Tell me, what happened here?"

"He just floated into the air," Penny reported. "Right in front of this statue."

"Excuse me. Who is she?"

"Oh, forgive me, Lao. This is Tin-Tin Kyrano."

"The half-niece of Gaat?"

Penny nodded, turning her attention back to Tin-Tin. "This is Lao. He and a woman named Zi are the sole remaining members of the House of T'ang."

"Sworn enemies of my half-uncle," Tin-Tin breathed. "Yes. Father told me of you. I am pleased you are here."

Lao bowed as Tin-Tin did the same.

"Penny, tell me," Tin-Tin continued as she righted herself, "did he say anything at all?"

"No. We were headed into the hall to find the ceremonial room when I realized he'd disappeared. Then we saw him floating high above the ground."

Tin-Tin nodded. "Please lay him flat." Once they'd done that, she knelt next to him, closed her eyes and placed one hand palm-flat on his forehead.

Lao and Penelope exchanged looks.

"You may go to find the chamber," Tin-Tin said softly. "Gordon will be quite well with me. We will join you shortly."

Penny nodded as she and Lao rose to their feet, continuing upon their previously-walked path toward the hall.

"What is she doing?" Lao asked.

"She's Kyrano's daughter," Penny replied. "She could be doing _anything_."

4:12:14

So far Jeff had complied with everything asked of him. He stood by silently and watched as John lit various bowls of incense and extinguished certain candles while leaving others lit. He sprinkled some sort of water-like substance on an altar made of black onyx near the front of the rectangular room and, to Jeff's disgust, proceeded to rip a chicken's head from its body. He took the blood and smeared it all over the room's two other altars, both made of marble.

It didn't just surprise him that anyone still did this kind of thing in today's day and age...it surprised him that his son somehow didn't react to what Gaat was doing in his body. Killing...smearing blood...shoving an innocent woman off a roof...Jeff couldn't fathom that _his_ John could still be in there somewhere given everything he was doing.

And yet he knew he _had_ to still be in there. The whole point was that Gaat had to perform what was looking to be a sick cult-like ritual or he wouldn't be able to take permanent control of _any_ body, be it Jeff's _or_ John's.

When John...or what _looked_ like John...drained the last of the chicken's blood into a cup and drank it, Jeff could stand it no longer. He closed his eyes and turned his face away.

_John, come back to me,_ he thought, trying desperately to swallow his fear._ Please._

4:17:01

"Scott? What on _Earth_?"

Megan hurried into the hall outside Operating Room 1 on the hospital's fifth floor. "Dr. Craven told me he barely got the bullet out of your leg before you bolted up here on him. What were you thinking?"

Scott nodded toward the OR. "I just had to check on him."

It sounded for all the world like a big brother just mentioning checking out his little brother after night-night time. Megan couldn't help but smile fondly. "You guys sure have been through the wringer. Do you have days like this _often_?"

"No," he responded, then turned and looked at her, narrowing his eyes. "And it seems awfully funny that you're around whenever we _do_."

"You know, Scott Tracy, if you don't get your ass back into that bed they assigned you, I'm going to have to call your father and—"

"Oh!" Scott exclaimed, eyes widening.

"Oh, what? Scott?"

"Dad! My God, I didn't...he doesn't...shit!"

"What?"

"We've got to contact him, and fast!" He clapped a hand to his wrist. "My comm watch...where the hell is it?"

"I-I took it off in sick bay."

"Okay...we've got to get back to Two." Scott looked back up at the OR, then back at Megan, surreptitiously biting his lip.

"You want me to stay with him?"

He opened his mouth as if to reply, then clamped it shut again. "He'll be okay. Right?"

Megan nodded. "From what I hear, so far he's checking out. They're running the final scans on him, but it looks like he'll be back to your Virgil in no time."

Scott half-smiled, looking once more toward the operating room.

_I'll be back, Virg. I promise._

"Come on, let's go."

"Scott, you've got a hospital gown on!"

"Well...oh, shit, who cares?"

Megan's face turned beet red as the two of them ran through the hospital halls, rode down the elevator and went as fast as Scott's leg allowed out through the ER automatic doors. Scott apparently didn't remember that the backs of hospital gowns...didn't close...

4:21:36

Lao and Penny crept down a hall filled with smoky incense and the smell of blood. Penelope's nose wrinkled as they drew closer to the room at the end of it. Just as they were about to peer inside, her ring lit up. She shrank back against the wall, Lao mimicking her movements. Hurriedly she ran back the way they'd come. Finally she stopped and twisted the gem of her ring so that it was perpendicular to the band.

"Penny here," she said softly.

"Thank God! Penny, it's Scott! I can't raise Dad, what's going on?"

"Oh, Scott, where are you? Where's Virgil?"

"He's in the hospital here in Kuala Lumpur. We've just gotten back into Two. Penny, what's happening over there?"

"We made it to the temple, Scott, but we were separated. Gaat has taken over John's body and he's preparing for the Joining ceremony with Jeff as we speak. Lao and I were just entering the chamber when you contacted me."

"Lao?"

"He's a friend," she replied, flashing a smile at her companion. He nodded in reverence. "Tin-Tin's with Gordon...hang on, here they come."

"Penny, is that all you have? You, Lao, Gordon and Tin-Tin? Against _Gaat_?"

"Well, yes, at the moment." She heard Scott's frustrated sigh. "I don't know, Scott. I'm uncertain as to our chances for success."

"I have an idea. How long can you stall before you try taking Gaat on?"

"I don't think we have much time."

"I'm going to send for reinforcements and then we'll be on our way to help."

"F.A.B., Scott. Penny out."

"How are they?" Tin-Tin asked as she and Gordon approached. "The way Thunderbird Two took off from that clearing, I wasn't sure any of them had survived."

"Virgil's in hospital, but Scott sounded okay and I gather Megan's with him unharmed as well. How's Gordon?" she asked, peering into the copper-haired man's eyes.

"I am fine," Gordon said softly, with just a hint of an accent.

"Penny, right now Gordon's only about half himself."

"Who's the other half?"

"My father."

"Kyrano?" she asked incredulously.

Tin-Tin nodded. "He is using Gordon temporarily for transport. You must safely get him into the ceremonial chamber or he can be of no assistance to Mr. Tracy."

Penelope nodded. "Right, let's be off, then. Lao and I know exactly where it is."

4:28:44

As his son approached, Jeff's nerves started to fray. What if something happened and Kyrano wasn't able to help? What if Gaat successfully summoned whatever dark powers he needed and moved from John's body to his? John would surely be killed as soon as the ceremony was completed, and all would have been for naught.

Not to mention the damage that would be done to millions as the supposed head of both Tracy Corp _and_ International Rescue used his wealth and power to take over the world. He had to resist. As John approached, Jeff's mind raced.

_What would John want me to do?_

He knew the answer without question.

_Save yourself, Father._

He could almost hear John's voice in his head.

_There's no reason for both of us to die._

_I can't, John._

He swallowed the lump forming in his throat, staring at the face of his son...a man who had, over the years, become somewhat of a confidante as well. The time they'd spent together...time spent in discussion, talking about business, working through Corp paperwork...

_John, I can't just leave you here._

_Father, go._

_No..._

_Go. Go now!_

Just as Belah was within arm's reach of him, Jeff turned on heel to run. The sight that greeted him at the chamber entry made his heart lurch, and he skidded to a halt. For there stood Penelope, Gordon, a tall Chinese man and a woman clad all in black. He knew from her eyes who she was.

Belah roared in fury as Tin-Tin darted to the left, Penny to the right and Lao, straight ahead. Not knowing where to look, Belah first watched Tin-Tin, who catapulted up onto the wall, defying gravity itself until she reached a red velvet curtain and used it to swing along the wall down to the floor. Quickly she approached the onyx altar.

He looked ahead of him and growled when he saw the emblem of the House of T'ang. "I killed the rest of your repulsive family!" he yelled, raising his hands into the air. "Now you shall perish too, mongrel!"

Lao raced past Jeff and lunged for John, who rolled out of his way and sprang back to his feet, cat-like, as Lao skidded to a halt behind him. John reached out and grabbed Jeff's arm just as Penny circled in from behind him. He whirled on her, yanking Jeff into his body.

"Try anything and he dies," he snarled at them, daring anyone to test his mettle.

"You can't kill him," Penelope said, still approaching. "If you do, your dreams of heading International Rescue are dead in the water."

"Ah!" came a voice from behind him as he continued to turn in a circle. "Dead in the water! _Now_ I understand the meaning!" Lao was grinning as he, too, drew closer.

Belah stopped when he saw that Gordon had somehow gotten close enough that he could actually touch him. Jeff's eyes widened when his son spoke.

"Radzi Belah, you have no power on this plane."

_Is it just me, or does he sound a lot like...Kyrano?_

Gordon gave his father a quick wink and Jeff nearly laughed out loud.

_He said I'd know!_

"Your ceremony is doomed," came Tin-Tin's voice. "Release John Tracy and be gone back to Hell!"

Belah whipped back in her direction. "I don't know how you have managed this, Kyrano," he said over his shoulder to Gordon, "but you have failed. The incantation has already been read. The rest of the ritual doesn't matter!"

With that, Belah swiveled Jeff so their eyes were locked.

_What? I...no...John...John! I see you...I see...what's happening...colors...the colors..._

Jeff's eyes closed and went limp in John's arms.

"Move in!" Tin-Tin yelled.

John swung his arm around and a shockwave sent them hurtling across the chamber, slamming into walls and altars with thuds and oofs of pain. Only Gordon stood steadfastly, unaffected by the display of dark magick.

"You shall not win this day, Radzi."

"Don't call me that!" Belah spat. "I have al_ready_ won..._brother_."

John lifted Jeff, carrying him to the onyx altar. He stood next to him and grasped Jeff's hand. "Kurnaiai jasad, gelap kudrat. Beralah Jeff Tracy. Jasad hak saya!"

"Father! Do something!" Tin-Tin cried.

Gordon moved slowly across the chamber until he stood right next to John. John's head rolled back, oblivious to those around him. Belah continued to mumble in Malay, his hand firmly holding Jeff's. A bluish-white light came from nowhere, surrounding Jeff, Belah-in-John and Kyrano/Gordon in its protective bubble.

That's when Kyrano...and Gordon...struck.

4:41:16

Jeff's eyes opened to find two of his sons above him. John had hold of his hand and he just barely caught the glint of metal as Gordon unsheathed a knife and raised it in the air.

"No!" Jeff cried, using John's grip to pull himself up.

"Jeff, no!" Penny cried.

But all Jeff saw was one of his sons trying to kill the other. He launched off the table, tackling Gordon to the floor. John's eyes snapped open. Tin-Tin moved closer and cried out. "No! John!"

A gray puff of smoke hanging above John's head dissipated rapidly back into his mouth and the crystal blue eyes that had just been there turned black once more. Belah's voice laughed heartily.

"Tracy, you _fool_!" he crowed. "You have just sealed your doom!"

"What?" Jeff gasped, rising from the floor while Gordon rose to his feet.

"I am here as promised," Gordon said.

Jeff's eyes widened. "Oh, dear God, what have I done?"

Gordon pulled his father close. At six feet even, the two were eye-to-eye, noses nearly touching. Their eyes bored into one another's, Gordon's arms holding his father as close as possible.

"Jeff," Gordon whispered. "Let me in. Gordon is injured and too weak to fight him."

Jeff gulped. He could almost _see_ Kyrano behind Gordon's eyes. "It's time?"

Gordon nodded, the ghost of a smile on his face. "It is time, Jeff."

Jeff nodded and placed his hands on Gordon's shoulders. "Then do it."

"No!" Belah cried, lunging for them.

Lao came at him from the back, Tin-Tin from his left and Penny from his right, tackling him to the floor as his hand swished along Jeff's golden robe. They struggled to hold him down, Penny getting one hand, Tin-Tin the other as Lao literally sat right down on his back.

"Get off me!" Gaat nearly screamed, fighting for all he was worth. "Get _off_!"

Jeff and Gordon stared into one another's eyes. Jeff had never felt anything like it. Ever.

_It's so beautiful...it's Heaven...this is what Heaven must be like...look at the beauty, golds and silvers...blues and greens...this is where Lucy lives...this is...Kyrano..._

He heard his old friend's voice in his head..._I enter now, Jeff..._

Suddenly Jeff was filled with so much joy, so much compassion...so much _strength_...he couldn't help the laughter that bubbled up within him. He backed away from his son's arms, lowering Gordon gently to the floor as he collapsed from the effort. He turned to face Radzi Belah Gaat, no longer alone in his own body.

Belah screamed the scream of a banshee, freeing his arms enough to slap Tin-Tin and Penny roughly to the sides and buck Lao from his back. He rose to his feet, flinging one arm toward Tin-Tin, who screamed as she flew into the front wall, hanging against it as though from a hook...yet nothing held her. Nothing _visible_.

"Tin-Tin!" Penny cried as she, too, was lifted off her feet with a fling of John's arm. His eyes glowed red as she slammed into the opposite wall. Without a second thought, he whirled on Lao and twisted his neck with a sickening crunch. The man dropped to the floor.

"You need not have killed him," Jeff said.

"So you have taken my prize, _brother_," Belah spat. "You think Jeff Tracy's body is any match for his _son's_? In this body, _I_ am the younger and stronger one."

Jeff smiled knowingly. "We shall see."

Infuriated, John lunged for Jeff, managing to get one hand around his throat. "I'll crush your windpipe just as I did to that bitch _Ebony_!"

Jeff's hands clawed at the back of John's before he swung his leg, hooked it around his adversary's robes, and took his feet out from under him. The men fell to the floor, simultaneously recovering themselves and springing back up to their feet.

"This is a picture," Belah said sarcastically. "Jeff Tracy trying to kill his middle son."

"Not kill," came a voice that sounded much too much like Kyrano's. "Save."

"You will not prevail, Kyrano. For as I banish Tracy's soul, so shall I banish yours!"

His eyes glowed red again and he raised his arms level with Jeff's chest. Jeff dropped down on all fours as a shockwave left John's fingertips. He cursed as Jeff rolled to the side then scrambled on all fours to John's legs, effectively pulling him off-balance once more.

Belah howled as Jeff elbowed him in the gut, his arm in a chokehold around John's neck. "Give it up, Gaat," he growled. "Let my son _go_!"

"Not without a replacement!" Belah ground out as he felt his airway constricted further. "Kill me...kill your son!"

Jeff's grip released just enough for Belah to land a punch square on his jaw. He reeled back, letting go of John completely. Belah took the opportunity to fling his arm at Jeff, but Kyrano reacted just as quickly, holding his hands palm-out toward his half-brother. Their forces clashed in the air between them, sending sparks shooting up and out like a fireworks display.

Both men's chests heaved as Tin-Tin and Penelope watched from where they were stuck against opposite walls of the chamber. Neither woman could believe what they were seeing. Penelope was horrified that son was pitted against father while Tin-Tin began to wonder if her father really _could_ beat her uncle once and for all.

"You will release John now," Jeff said quietly, standing straight. "You cannot win, my brother."

Belah roared and his eyes started glowing red. They became brighter...and brighter...and brighter. His face turned heavenward and the howl he emitted slowly turned into a snarling scream. Hands raised toward the ceiling, fingers curved like claws as a wind came from nowhere, swirling around John's body. The crimson robe whipped against him in its ferocity. John's head suddenly began to expand and bubble, fingers disappearing as claws took their place...legs turning into scaly haunches...mouth elongating into dragon-like chops.

A forked tongue hissed from between his lips as the crimson robe ripped, black-gray skin tearing through it and shedding it like a discarded rag. What stood before them was neither John Tracy nor Belah Gaat, but...a creature.

A creature from Hell.

It opened its mouth and cried out a scream that was heard for miles. With one three-fingered and clawed hand, it reached out and swiped Jeff's face, the force of the blow throwing him across the room into the onyx altar. There was an audible crack as his back struck the edge.

Jeff Tracy stopped moving.

4:59:58

4:59:59

5:00:00


	22. Hour TwentyTwo

**Hour Twenty-Two**

_The following takes place between 5:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m._

5:00:22

Scott careened around the corner and stopped dead in his tracks, pulling Megan back into the shadows of the hall.

"My _God_, what _is_ that thing?" Megan asked, trembling.

"Hell if I know," Scott replied, staring open-mouthed at the creature before them. It had its winged back toward them, a long, serpent-like tail swinging to and fro. Scott's eyes moved and he let go of Megan's hand, yelling, "_Father_!"

Penelope and Tin-Tin struggled against the unseen force holding them up against the walls as the creature threw back its head and screamed again, eyes glowing bright red. It whirled toward the chamber entrance.

"Stay here!" Scott hissed, eyes narrowing. The creature filled most of that end of the room, but Scott saw an opening and took off at a dead run. What had once been John and Belah swung its tail around, but Scott took a flying leap, barely staying on his feet as he landed on the other side of it. "Dad!" he cried, skidding to a stop as he sank to his knees next to Jeff's prone form.

"Father!" Tin-Tin screamed, arms and legs flailing. She let out a wild whoop and arched her back away from the wall as the demon made its way toward the onyx altar. The force released Tin-Tin and she pushed off the wall, double-somersaulting through the air, and landing a flying kick in the creature's eye before bouncing back down to the floor.

The demon cried out in pain and Penny began falling from her spot on the opposite wall, She was surprised when a pair of arms caught her and she found herself looking into the eyes of Zi. The young woman lowered her to her feet and looked toward the entry hall where a completely confused Megan held a sleeping Esunge. Then she turned to face her enemy down.

"Belah Gaat!" she said in a deadly voice. "Jaun shì fang! Yun nín," she growled, rocking back into a kung fu-style stance.

The demon only roared, turning away from where Scott was lifting his father from the floor. It garbled something unintelligible in its high-pitched voice as its eyes lit up again. Penelope raced around the edge of the room, joining Tin-Tin at Scott's side.

"Place him on the altar," came a soft, tired-sounding voice from behind them. They turned to find Gordon, who looked barely able to stand. "Kyrano left me with instructions."

Scott nodded and placed his dad on the altar, then turned his attention to where Zi was effectively out-maneuvering the beast, though not doing much to stop it. "Where's John?" he asked.

"That _is_ John," Penny replied as the creature lunged for Zi. "Or, at least, it _was_."

"He's still in there," Tin-Tin said, her eyes closed, one hand raised toward the demon. "He must be freed."

"But how?" Penny asked. "Kyrano was in Jeff. Without him, we haven't a prayer of defeating that thing without killing John in the process."

"Yes we do," Gordon said, walking to the altar and nearly falling before catching himself on it. Tin-Tin immediately reached out and held him steady. "The child."

"What? Who, Ebony's baby?" Scott asked, frowning.

Gordon nodded. "We have to work fast to save Dad. I'll need Tin-Tin. You two," he nodded at Scott and Penelope, "have to get Esunge. He has powers." Gordon leaned heavily on Tin-Tin. "We have to hurry. I don't know how much longer I'll make it. Here's what you should do..."

5:17:28

Megan had inched her way back to the main hall and stood holding the child handed to her by the Chinese-only-speaking woman she guessed was just a few years younger than herself. Heart pounding, she was startled when Scott suddenly came running down the hall.

"Scott?"

"Megan, I need the baby."

She willingly handed him off to Scott, who turned back to run down the hall. She couldn't resist. She _had_ to follow him. Even though she was scared shitless.

Megan watched, eyes wide, as Scott gently woke Esunge. The baby yawned as it looked into this stranger's eyes. "Esunge, listen to me," he said, just as the demon backhanded Zi across the room. "You have to stop the demon, do you understand?"

He turned Esunge to face the creature, who in turn moved to face _them_. "He's got John in there," Scott said into Esunge's ear. "Monkey go bye-bye."

"Monkey!" Esunge yelled at the top of his lungs.

"Yes, Monkey!" Scott replied, repeating what Gordon had told them. "That demon has Monkey!"

"MONKEY!" Esunge screamed. Scott's eyes widened as it felt like someone was tugging the baby away. He hesitated, then let go, startled when Esunge rose into the air above his head.

In his peripheral, he saw Penelope circling behind the creature, silver glinting in her hand. He unzipped his uniform tunic and reached inside, grabbing hold of the ceremonial knife Gordon had handed him. "Okay, kid," he whispered, looking back up at the child one last time. "Do your stuff."

The demon moved toward Esunge, snarling as it reached out to flick the boy away. Esunge cried out and levitated nearer the creature's head, moving in and out quickly as it tried to grab him.

Thus distracted, Penelope moved closer to its back while Scott stole toward its belly.

_Please let this work_.

"Now!" Scott cried, lunging forward. Knife raised, he leapt as high as he could, sinking the blade into the creature's soft underbelly. Simultaneously Penny scrambled up its tail and sank her knife into its back, right between two hard, gray scales.

The demon howled, its cries deafening as it reared back, throwing Penelope to the floor. It swung around and this time Scott didn't move fast enough. Its tail slammed right into him, sending him sprawling back near the hall.

"Scott!" Megan cried, running into the chamber. She heard a loud cry from across the room and looked up to find Jeff floating in mid-air and Gordon crumpling to the floor.

_There's no way out of this,_ she thought as she caught a glimpse of Penelope's unmoving form against the other wall.

There was a high-pitched squeal of mixed joy and fright as Esunge came floating down near her. She reached out and caught him as the demon tried in vain to remove the knives from its back and front. It continued screaming in agony, steam beginning to rise from its skin.

Megan grabbed Scott's limp hand with one of hers while holding the baby close with the other. She cowered on the floor, curled into the man she loved with her eyes squeezed shut.

_Oh, God. We're going to die._

5:28:16

Jeff opened his eyes just as his body came to rest on the onyx altar. Tin-Tin stumbled backward, completely spent, and tripped over Gordon's body, landing hard on her ass. Jeff sat up and swung his legs over the altar's edge, his gaze serene as his eyes came to rest on the demon sinking to the floor.

He stood up and walked across the room, not even flinching when the demon let out another howl. Its head drooped as its scales began to smoke in earnest, creating a cloud so thick as to make it almost impossible to see. Jeff approached the demon, raised his hands, closed his eyes and began to speak. It was Kyrano's voice that emerged.

"Pergilah, binatang dari neraka jahim! Pergilah dan John Tracy balik ke jasad betul!"

Zi seemed to come from nowhere. She sailed from behind Jeff, landing on the demon's back and drove the knife deeper into the scales. The demon's eyes glowed red for a brief moment before it collapsed to the floor in silence.

Jeff moved forward as Zi scrambled to the floor. He laid his hands upon the creature's elongated mouth and closed his eyes, murmuring softly as Tin-Tin neared them. Megan looked up as the smoke begin to clear. All three women gasped when they saw what now lay where the demon had fallen.

"Jaun!" Zi cried, running to kneel next to him.

For John Tracy, looking fully like his human self once more, lay naked on the cold stone floor beneath his father's hands. Jeff opened his eyes as Zi pulled John into her arms. He looked down upon them and smiled before turning to face Tin-Tin.

"I must go now, my daughter," he whispered, dark brown eyes flickering to Jeff's gray ones before turning brown again. "You must leave quickly, for the demons are not pleased."

With that, Jeff's eyes rolled back in his head and he sank to the floor.

"Dad?" came a choked sound. Tin-Tin turned to find Gordon standing weakly behind her. She reached out and he took her hand as he came forward. They watched as Jeff wrapped his arms around himself and rocked slowly to and fro. A full minute passed before he finally looked up at them.

"I'm back," he said hoarsely.

"Dad," Gordon smiled. Then he looked across the room. "Penny!"

Jeff pushed himself to his feet, following his son's eyes. Then he turned and saw Scott lying unconscious, Megan clinging to both him and Esunge. "Scott?"

Megan let go Scott's hand long enough to feel for a pulse. "He's okay, Jeff," she said. She placed Esunge on the floor next to Scott and headed for John, body trembling with fear. "How about him?"

Zi looked up. "Jaun," she said simply, imploring Megan's eyes with her own. Megan knew that look and nodded as she knelt next to him.

"He's got a good, steady pulse," she reported, sinking to the floor in relief.

Jeff moved across the room to Penny, who had just begun to moan. He grabbed her and pulled her to her feet, locking her in a tight embrace. "Penny, talk to me," he said roughly into her ear.

She leaned into him and wrapped her arms around him just as tightly. "Jeff," she whispered. "Thank God."

A sudden breeze kicked up, chilling everyone in the room. It was as though a giant window had been opened on a cold Autumn day and it sent shivers up and down their spines.

"We must try to get everyone out now," Tin-Tin advised, running to pick Esunge up from the floor. "Father warned me."

"What's going to happen?" Megan asked as she rose to her feet.

An ear-piercing screech made their hands fly up to cover their ears.

"All hell's about to break loose," Jeff answered, pushing Penny away and steadying her on her feet.

"Literally," Gordon said. "But how are we going to get out?"

"You have a point," Megan chimed in. "Scott and John are both injured and unconscious and Gordon, no offense, but you look like you're about to pass out."

"I am," he replied. "And none taken."

"We can't leave anyone behind," Jeff stated. "It just isn't safe here."

"What are we going to do?" Penny asked.

The ground shook slightly beneath their feet and they looked at one another, fear etched into all their faces.

5:39:09

"We're almost at the Danger Zone if those coordinates Scott gave us are on-target," Alan said to Brains, who sat next to him at the helm of Thunderbird Three.

"O-Oh, I've no doubt they are," Brains replied. He opened a channel. "Mrs. Tracy, a-are you comfortable?"

"Oh, yes, Brains, just waiting for you two to bring the rest of our family here so I can properly tend to them."

Alan grinned. "Don't worry, Grandma. We're going to be landing soon and I'm going to make damn sure we don't leave without every one of them."

"You do that, Alan," she said, her face showing her worry. "You do that."

"Before I forget, thanks for getting me off Five, Brains. I was going nuts."

"Well, you can, uh, thank Scott for that," Brains replied. "When he called, he made it quite clear that you and I had to get here, a-and fast. We're the, uh, cavalry."

Alan smiled wryly. "That's Scott for you." Then he frowned. "I just hope we're not too late."

5:40:57

Jeff struggled with John slung over his shoulder in a fireman's carry. He'd wrapped what little remained of the crimson robe John had once worn around his groin to afford him some semblance of decency in a desperate situation. Megan had Scott under his armpits while Zi had her arms under his waist and Penelope had his feet. Tin-Tin carried Esunge, Gordon's hand on her shoulder as he shuffled along behind her, and the group slowly made its way to the rear of the temple.

They were hearing the strangest noises any of them had ever heard.

Faint whistles and groans, howls and screeches. It reminded Gordon of a Halloween haunted house he'd once been in several years back. _Sound effects_, he kept telling himself as he tried to look everywhere at once while still keep walking. _It's just sound effects._

But they all knew it wasn't.

Every now and then the wind would whip up, chilling and heartless like it had hands groping and searching their bodies as it whirled around them. But they plodded on, steady as they could. They had to make it out. It was either that...or die.

5:42:21

"Okay, Brains, keep her hovering here. Am exiting hatch now."

"F.A.B., Alan." Brains sat at the controls watching all the gauges as the external camera showed him the surrounding area, microphones bringing odd noises into Thunderbird 3's cockpit. "What a-are those sounds?"

"No idea," Alan replied as he fired up the jet pack on his back and stepped out of 3's nose hatch into thin air. Hands on the pack's two handles, he guided himself away from the horizontally hovering spacecraft and toward the ground below. He and Brains had determined the most life signs showing from inside the grand structure were near the rear, and so he landed thirty feet or so from the back entrance. No sooner had he switched the jet pack off and laid the other three he'd brought on the ground than the heavy wooden door creaked open. He looked up and nearly sobbed in relief.

"Tin-Tin!"

"_Alan_!"

Tin-Tin ran forward as Alan enveloped her in his arms, nearly crushing Esunge, who let his discontent be known quite loudly.

"Who the hell is-?" he began to ask, but was cut off at the sight of his father emerging. "Dad! _John_!" Alan left Tin-Tin and the baby and ran to help his father, just barely getting John off his shoulder before Jeff collapsed to his knees. "Dad!"

Jeff waved his son away. "Get John aboard," he panted, hands on his thighs as he tried to catch his breath.

Zi, Megan and Penny emerged with Scott and laid him gently on the ground as Zi stared up at Thunderbird 3 hovering high above them.

"Jeff!" Penny said, running to his side. "Are you all right?"

"Dammit, Penny," he said, chest heaving. "I'm getting too old for this shit."

"You're not old, you're—"

"Don't say it!" he said, holding a hand up to silence her. "For Christ's sake, I'm 68, Penny. This is ridiculous!"

She gathered his face in her hands and kissed him softly. "I don't care if you're one _hundred_ and sixty-eight. The fact remains that you _are_ Jeff Tracy." She moved so her lips touched his ear. "And you're my husband. And I love you."

Jeff smiled at her as she backed away and rose to her feet, pulling him with her. "Besides," she continued, "we still have to shock your family with that little fact. You wouldn't want to miss that, would you?"

He grinned. "Not for anything," he replied, grasping her hand. He looked up to where Alan was returning from having gotten John on board, and Tin-Tin was moving up past him with the baby in her arms.

"Who the hell is that?" Alan asked as they passed one another.

"An amazing child," Tin-Tin smiled.

She'd just made it to Three's hatch when they heard a deep rumble and the ground shook beneath them. Everyone turned to face the temple as the sky above them suddenly clouded over. Lightning began dancing from cloud to cloud as the rumbling sound grew louder.

"Oh, no," Tin-Tin breathed. "Hurry!" she called down as Grandma reached through the hatch to take Esunge from her arms. "It's beginning!"

5:53:43

Penelope and Jeff each hurried to strap a jet pack to their bodies. He lifted Gordon into his arms while Penelope gestured for Zi to grab hold. She wrapped herself around Penny's body and simultaneously both parties took off.

"Hurry!" came Brains' voice through Alan's watch as he landed back on the ground. "I-I don't like the electrical a-activity up here."

Alan nodded and looked up as lightning flashed above them even more insistently. He headed for where Scott had just regained consciousness and rolled onto his side. Within seconds Scott was heaving the contents of his stomach all over the place, body convulsing violently as he desperately tried to make it stop.

"Shit," Alan muttered. "Concussion." He gestured for Megan and she met him halfway. "Dad'll take you up to Three," he said, leading her to where Jeff was descending after having left Gordon with his mother.

"But Scott..."

"Don't worry," Alan said, "As soon as he's done puking, I'll bring him up."

Megan looked back at Scott, whose heaving seemed to have subsided, and nodded. "Thank you," she said, squeezing his arm.

Alan had a bemused look on his face as Tin-Tin returned. "I think she likes Scott," he said.

She elbowed him. "Duh," she said.

"Ow, what was that for?"

Before she could reply, they both felt a tingling sensation, like tiny pinpricks on their skin. Their faces turned upward toward the heavens just as Brains' voice called out from Alan's watch.

But neither of them heard what he said.

A thick bolt of lightning streaked down from the large, dark, swirling cloud, entering Alan at the nape of his neck. Tin-Tin screamed as the bolt forked, one jagged side exiting his thigh and entering her leg. The other shot out of his left hip and bounced off the ground across the fifteen feet between him and his eldest brother.

Scott had just staggered to his feet when the bolt jumped off the dirt and right into his stomach. Breath knocked out of him, his face was frozen in terror as it threw him off his feet and into the back wall of the temple.

"Alan!" Brains cried through the watch.

"Scott!" Jeff yelled from his position mid-air.

"Tin-Tin!" Penny screamed as she ditched the jet pack and ran towards the motionless trio.

A low, evil laugh froze them in their tracks.

5:59:58

5:59:59

6:00:00


	23. Hour TwentyThree

**Hour Twenty-Three**

_The following takes place between 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m._

6:01:18

Jeff landed as the wind picked up even more. He looked up into the sky where swirling clouds had become a black mass moving downward in a vortex lit with streaks of lightning and fireballs. The tornado-like funnel extended downward to the roof of the temple as the wind nearly pushed him off-balance. He tried to yell to the others, but the sudden vacuum stole his voice before it had even left his lips.

He ran toward Scott, silently praying all the way. The front of his uniform had been blackened by the lightning bolt and Jeff's heart froze in fear as he reached down and scooped his son into his arms. Scott groaned but Jeff didn't have time to even sigh in relief that he was still alive. The wind became more fierce, his hair being blown upward as the suction from above increased.

Penelope was giving Alan CPR as best she could, but she wound up doing little more than holding herself down by grabbing fistfuls of his uniform. Jeff looked around them trying desperately to figure out what to do. The jet packs would be useless in this wind. They'd all end up crashing if they even attempted to lift off now. Then he looked up as a blast was heard from above.

His heart sank as he watched Thunderbird 3 disappear above the cloud cover.

They were alone.

6:04:30

"What are they going to do?" Megan asked as she approached Brains in Three's cockpit.

"I-I can't raise them on Scott's or Alan's communicators," Brains said. "They probably went out when they were hit by the, uh, lightning."

"Brains, you're not...I mean, are you going to...leave them there?"

"We had to get out of there, Megan," he replied. "I was losing attitude control in that, uh, wind."

"What about Thunderbirds One and Two?"

"If they can get to them," Brains said, "it's the only chance they have." But even as he said the words, he knew the chances of anyone other than Scott or Virgil trying to pilot either 'bird out of a tornado were next to nil. Jeff Tracy was an excellent pilot, but...

_What have I done?_

His shoulders sagged as 3 rocketed out of the atmosphere.

_I've left them alone in that storm._

Megan sat down silently in the chair next to him.

_I hope I did the right thing._

He looked at it on the satellite feed coming through in front of them. His eyes widened and without warning he slammed his hand down on the retros.

"Holy—what the hell?" Megan screeched, grabbing hold of the console.

Brains rose to his feet, jabbing his finger at the center of the twisting mass in the center of the screen. "That," he said, a tinge of fear in his voice, "is no storm."

Megan came closer. "It's not? Then what is it?"

"I..." Brains faltered, then turned to look at her, his large blue eyes clouded with worry. "I have no idea."

6:06:12

Jeff had gotten both Scott and Tin-Tin into the temple's back hall. When he ran back outside, he had to grab the wooden door to keep from being knocked to the ground. Leaves and vines, dirt and debris flew through the air, pelting his face as he peered into the distance. Finally he caught a glimpse of Penny doing everything she could to half-drag a semi-conscious Alan toward the temple. He took a deep breath and ran out to them, taking up Alan's other side. Between them they managed to lift him enough to get him inside as well. Jeff turned and slammed the door shut behind them.

"Jeff," Penny asked breathlessly, "what on Earth is this? A tornado?" she panted. "In the jungle?"

"There's something...ungodly...about this," Jeff gasped in return. He leaned down to check on all three who'd been hit by lightning. Alan was fading in and out of consciousness while Scott lay there, his breathing shallow, moaning softly now and then. Tin-Tin had yet to move and her pulse was erratic. "They need a hospital," he said, shaking his head. "We've got to get them to the Thunderbirds."

"Jeff, you don't think you can take off in this wind, do you? Three barely made it and she was hovering."

Jeff leaned back against the wall, shaking his head.

They heard the low, evil laugh again.

"What is that?" Penelope breathed. Then they heard footsteps. Penny moved to Jeff's side, back against the wall. "Jeff?"

"I see you haven't left yet," a loud, booming voice echoed.

"It can't be!" Penny exclaimed.

"Oh," the voice chuckled, "but it can."

The sound of footsteps returned, growing louder and louder until finally two throngs of people headed right for them from either end of the hall. Jeff looked up one way and Penny looked the other.

"It's his slaves!" Penelope cried above the frightened voices. "They're running!"

_Jeff..._

Jeff's eyes grew wide.

_You must leave..._

Jeff swallowed hard.

_He will take you._

"Kyrano," Jeff whispered. "Penny, we have to get out of here. Now!"

Both groups of slaves stopped short when they saw Jeff, Penny and the three prone figures on the floor. They stared at Jeff and, moving as one unit, fell to both knees and bowed.

"What's this about?"

Penny frowned and looked at the slaves, then back to Jeff. "The robe?"

Jeff looked down, having all but forgotten he was still wearing the golden robes John..._Belah_...had had the slaves put him in. "Why would a robe make them bow?"

The voice boomed around them, speaking Malay, and the slaves cowered on the floor.

"Help us!" Jeff said firmly, drawing up off the wall to his full height. "Help us!" he repeated.

Two slaves from the left and two from the right looked up at him. He motioned toward the bodies on the floor, then pretended to pick them up. Belah's voice growled and spoke again. The two on the left cowered back down but the two on the right said something to one another before rising to their feet. They moved forward, one picking up Tin-Tin, the other picking up Alan.

Jeff nodded to them and grabbed hold of Scott's arm, hauling him up and over his shoulder. "Let's go."

"Where, Jeff?" Penny asked as the slaves parted to let them through. When he didn't answer, she knew he hadn't any more idea than she did.

6:11:42

"I don't understand," Megan said as she gathered the items Brains had requested down in Thunderbird 3's entry room.

"That isn't a tornado, Megan. I-It's a vortex that's opened directly from far beneath the Earth through a hole that goes right down the center of that temple. But there's a void of some sort beneath it."

"A void?"

"Yes. The imagery just completely winks out beyond a certain point."

"Are you saying that's some kind of...gateway to Hell or something?"

He stopped and looked her in the eyes. "That's exactly what I'm saying."

Megan gulped. This was so beyond her realm of experience.

"How are they up there?" Brains asked, nodding toward the elevator she'd just emerged from.

"Everyone's stable. John's drifting in and out and Gordon's on enough painkillers to make him Cheech and Chong comfortable."

Brains half-smiled as he looked through the various containers she'd brought. "Yes, I think this should do it."

"Do what? I still don't get it."

"I'm making a bomb."

"A bomb? Are you kidding?"

"No. The way I figure it, the only way that vortex is going to stop is either if Gaat and his demons win or the entryway is sealed."

Her eyes widened as it finally became clear. "You're going to drop a bomb down there to try and close up the portal to...wherever."

"Precisely."

"But...what about Scott and Jeff? And the others?"

"As long as they're nowhere near that opening when it explodes, they'll be fine, I should think."

Megan hoped he was right. Her heart ached already, knowing they'd left Scott down there injured at the very least, possibly dead at the worst. But she didn't let her mind go down that path. She just clung to the belief she had in his strength, and in Tracy resourcefulness. They'd been through hell before and survived.

But...if Brains was right...this was the _real_ Hell.

She closed her eyes took a deep breath. "Is there anything else I can do?"

"Just sit up in the cockpit and monitor those three screens like I showed you," Brains said as he brought a capsule-shaped metal container out from a cabinet. "The line's open. Tell me if _any_ of those readings change."

"Okay," she replied, heading back for the elevator.

_What the hell am I doing sitting in the cockpit of a spaceship?_

Megan prayed that _none_ of the readings would change.

6:14:01

They had made it to the cavernous main room, but the wind was so strong here they could make it no further than the giant Anubis-like statue in the middle of it. They all pressed against the statue to shelter themselves as the beads around Kyrano's likeness ripped away one by one, sailing right at them. They covered their heads, but one line of beads struck Penny's face like the end of a whip and a red line of blood appeared. She hastened to wipe it off, screaming at Jeff just to make herself heard above the ferocity around them.

"Jeff! Where to?"

Jeff peered around the statue and noted that directly to the right of Kyrano's, there didn't seem to be any disturbance at all. He frowned and craned his neck to look upward, but his vision was blocked by the second floor.

"There's no wind over there!" he yelled back, pointing toward the dais.

"You shall pay for trying to escape!" Belah's voice came loud and strong through the storm's fury. "Jeff Tracy, you are _mine_!"

Jeff felt a force tug at his robe. He jumped back in fear, nearly dropping Scott. Then the tug came again. Penny saw it this time. She grabbed Jeff's arm. "What's happening?"

He felt Scott moving, too late realizing it was not his son at all but something actually pushing Scott off his shoulder. He cried out as he slipped from his grasp, and the force tugged harder on his body.

"Jeff!" Penny cried.

The slaves stared in horror, clinging to the injured they carried as, with one last pull, the golden robe was ripped clean away. It flew up into the air leaving Jeff completely naked. Penny yelled something unintelligible, nails digging into the flesh of his arm to keep him in place.

But her efforts were useless.

_He's come for me._

He looked at Scott, Alan and Tin-Tin so helpless before him. He thought of Virgil and John, what they'd been through. Of Brains and Ruth and his closest friend, Kyrano. Gordon, the baby, and their new friend Zi. Of all the people who'd died today, and all the people who _would_ die if he let Belah Gaat have his way.

Suddenly, he knew there was only one thing to do. It was the only way he could see to keep his family safe. To keep the _world_ safe from this terrible evil that had plagued them for so long. He had no choice. He looked at his wife.

_And no regrets._

Invisible hands pulled at him so hard that this time he almost went with them.

_God give me strength._

Jeff turned, grabbed Penny by the back of the head and kissed her deeply. He pulled away and looked upon her with the most tender look she'd ever seen. "Get my boys home," he said as his legs were pulled out from under him. His hand held hers, body parallel with the floor. His eyes held hers, for a second more. "I love you, Penelope Tracy." Then his hand was ripped away.

"Jeff!"

He was gone.

"No!" she cried, fingers closing around nothing. "_No!_"

6:17:12

"How is it up there, Megan?"

"Fine," he heard her voice waft back through the speakers. "No changes."

Brains carefully poured a yellowish liquid from a beaker into the small metal box in front of him. Gently he closed the lid and lifted the box, placing it in the far right side of the metal capsule. All told, the bomb would measure just over one foot in length and about the same in diameter. Each of the three smaller metal boxes, one at each side and one in the center, held enough explosives to bring the entire temple down if its purpose had been to be set off above-ground.

The engineer checked his handiwork three times before he was satisfied, and lowered the top of the canister into place. He pressed a command into the small screen on the capsule body and heard the internal clamps snap. He then grabbed the wool blanket Megan had also gathered and carefully cocooned the capsule within it. Finally, he took two long strips of Velcro, just enough to hold the entire thing closed for the ride down to Earth, and pulled them tightly around the blanket. He laid his hand on the homemade bomb and closed his eyes, face turned upward.

_Whatever's up there, please make sure they're not around when this goes off._

He agonized all the way back up to the cockpit. If their aim was off by even so much as a foot...if there was some obstacle his scans had not accounted for...if _anything_ didn't go right? He could very well become responsible for killing half the Tracy family.

The elevator door opened into the cockpit. Megan looked up from the screens and saw the fear so evident on his face. Her heart went out to this man, this genius she barely knew, but could so easily tell loved this family so much. She herself could understand completely. As another outsider, as one who'd been around the Tracys for such a short time, she already held them all in high regard, respecting each of them more than she could ever put into words. To do what they did...to face the seemingly insurmountable challenges they had, and still be so close, so willing to die not only for strangers, but for one another above all else...she had never borne witness to such love, such binding faithfulness, such incredible fortitude.

They were amazing and inspired loyalty and commitment without question. That much she had learned when she'd met Jeff so many years ago. Instantly drawn to the man, she had sensed something within him that compelled her to want to help, though at the time she couldn't have fathomed how a forensic pathologist could've helped an organization like International Rescue. Even now she didn't really know what she'd done for them other than fall in love with their field commander.

And yet she felt so welcomed, so accepted, as though her being there with them were the most normal of circumstances. Like she belonged, without question. She'd never been that accepted even in her own family. As Brains sank into the chair next to her, she reached out and placed a hand on his. He looked up at her and felt an odd sort of kinship, smiling in spite of the situation. She looked at him like she trusted him implicitly.

_I only hope I prove worthy of that trust. Of __**all**__ their trust._

Brains took a deep breath and turned toward the controls. Punching open a line to the sleeping quarters, he said with a steady voice, "Mrs. Tracy, make sure everyone is secure. It might get a little bumpy."

"Okay, Brains," Ruth's voice came back. Then, more quietly, "Godspeed."

6:28:16

Jeff found himself sailing up over the stairs leading to the second floor, coming to a stop above what could only be described as an abyss deep into the earth. Flames leapt from its depths, licking at his skin as sweat rolled off his body, sizzling as the droplets met fire. Here there was no wind. No movement save the flames licking his back and ass, singeing the hair on his legs as the invisible hands turned him over to face the sky above.

He stared in awe as what looked like black liquid surrounded him, moving up and up until the black cloud above it parted to reveal nothing but a black sky devoid of stars, devoid of light of any kind. It was as though the backwards whirlpool led to...nothing.

And that's when he understood.

This is exactly what Gaat intended for him. What had the bastard said when Kyrano had been inside Jeff?

_For as I banish Tracy's soul, so shall I banish yours!_

Banish. Jeff looked back up at the nothing above him. That's what he'd meant. Jeff's soul...once Gaat took him, his own soul would be gone. Gone into the void, the ether. Gone forever.

All Kyrano had taught him of life, of death, of souls and reincarnation, of things sometimes beyond his comprehension, all came together now.

_A life in human form is but a drop in the pool of the soul's experience..._

Jeff wondered for the first time what his previous experiences had been. What past lives had he led? He'd never bothered to find out, never quite buying what Kyrano said about it all. But now, as finality stared him in the face, he wondered...

_The person doesn't die, Jeff. Simply the body they'd taken for this life. The soul goes on..._

But _his_ soul wouldn't be going on. Fear gripped his heart. What would "nothing" be like? Long ago he'd thought death meant this very thing, this winking out of existence. That it was the end of a person, the end of everything they'd been, everything they'd thought or laughed about, what they knew...the love they'd felt throughout their lives.

And he realized that although he'd stubbornly refused to admit it, he _had_ begun to believe Kyrano's words.

_You will see her again one day, Jeff. Your souls will meet upon the Plane._

But in Jeff's case, he'd been wrong.

The inky blackness moved closer.

"Jeff Tracy," Belah's voice seemed to be coming through water. "Now, you die. Say good-bye to your body...your family...your _soul_!"

_Good conquers Evil because it __**can**__, Jeff. Evil exists to help us learn our lessons. To help us all move toward that last goal of perfection, when we will at last take our place with the Masters._

"Lessons," Jeff whispered. He managed to turn his head enough to find Penelope, hair standing at all odd angles, just cresting the top step.

_Evil exists to help us learn our lessons._

Belah laughed. "Watch your _husband_ be extinguished forever!" he chortled as Penelope's eyes looked up into the vortex.

_There is no such thing as second chances, Jeff. The chances we are given to attain perfection are infinite._

"Jeff!" Penelope cried, approaching the steps leading up to the abyss.

_Lessons..._

The frown left Jeff's face.

_That's it._

He'd never believed. Not fully. He'd wanted to, and even accepted some of what Kyrano told him as fact, though mostly to soothe his own aching heart. But deep inside there had always been that tug of war between two factions...the side of him that wanted desperately to believe in the eternality of souls and reincarnation, of the reality of other places, times, dimensions...of beings that moved among them though they could not be seen...of demons and angels, Good and Evil.

And the other side, the stubbornly logical, Midwestern farm boy who'd been raised on fire and brimstone sermons, who'd seen so much pain and suffering he refused to believe in benevolence, in the Universe helping those who help themselves. He'd done all he could for mankind thinking that without being saved, the people would just be gone...that he and his sons were giving them a longer life without ever really believing he was actually extending this go-round in their soul's long, long existence.

And now, here he was at Hell's door with Evil only seconds away from taking everything. Doubt melted away as he remembered seeing his own son possessed by one who'd been dead for two years, taken and used for his own evil purposes. Doubt seeped through the chinks in his armor as his mind's eye replayed John's perfect face and body turning into that of the most horrible creature he'd ever laid eyes on. Doubt fizzled completely as he turned over in mid-air and looked down at his wife's dirty and bloody but never-more-beautiful face.

_Second chances...__**many**__ chances._

And he believed.

Jeff's eyes closed as a smile broke forth. He took a deep breath. As he exhaled, though the fire threatened to burn his chest and face, he let all fear, all worry...all _doubt_...fall away. When his eyes opened again, they were clearer; brighter. One hand reached out toward Penny, who balanced as close as she dared to the edge of the chasm beneath him.

"Jeff!" she called out, staring in wonder as the man before her seemed to shift slightly, as though he was a hologram who wasn't quite coming through clearly. He grew brighter, and almost seemed to glow as his smile grew. He winked down at her, gave a great yell and bucked, arching back toward the heavens before beginning to fall.

He was headed right for the abyss. Penny screamed.

6:40:19

Brains had Thunderbird 3 in place. Hovering vertical to the temple, she hung effortlessly in the vortex's eye as Brains fastened the bomb to a mesh basket he'd fashioned at the end of 3's winch. He recalled how he and John had nearly met their deaths hanging from the end of this winch line down the long tunnel beneath them, how they'd clung to each other in desperation...how John now clung to life after an ordeal Brains could not even begin to fathom.

Brains turned to Zi, whom he'd asked to help, and requested that she hold the basket over the opening while he operate the winch. He recalled how stunned Ruth Tracy had been to see him walk into the sleeping quarters, go over to Zi and begin speaking perfect Chinese to her. He wondered briefly if she'd picked her jaw up off the floor yet or not.

Well, he was, after all, a genius. He could learn any language in a matter of hours and, indeed, had. He and John had spent countless hours speaking to one another in a variety of languages, ending with John being frustrated that although he knew so many, he didn't know half the ones Brains knew.

He couldn't remember what had possessed him to learn Chinese, but right now it was coming in damn handy as he and Zi went back and forth over the bomb and the winch. Slowly the winch line lowered until Zi had to let go of the basket. The bomb moved downward. Lower and lower it went as Zi and Brains peered over the side. It was so dark below they could see nothing at all. Only Thunderbird Three's instruments told Brains he was in the right spot.

At last the bomb reached the bottom of Three's long entry tunnel. Being the only person aboard her who could successfully pilot her...well, the only _conscious_ person...Brains had to trust the actual release of the bomb to Zi, a woman he'd never met until a few minutes ago. But the way she'd been sitting at John's bedside, hands folded palm-flat above him, whispering a quiet prayer for his mind, body and soul...he had no choice. Megan knew the screens enough to monitor Three while on auto-hover. No one else did. So now, the fate of the temple...of the Tracys...was in Zi's hands.

"Deng dài wú mìng ling," he ordered, and she nodded. She would wait for his command.

Brains looked down the shaft one more time. _Sail true,_ he thought, then moved toward the elevator. _Please sail true._

6:43:52

Penny caught Jeff's hand and with a strength she'd never before possessed, hauled him out of the flames as he fell, yanking him so hard they both tumbled down the three altar steps and went sprawling onto the stone floor. Belah shrieked so loud the walls around them shook with his unparalleled fury.

"You shall not escape!" he roared.

"You won't be taking _my_ soul," Jeff said confidently as he rose and pulled Penelope to her feet. "I'm not finished with it yet!"

"Jeff?" she stared as the white glow she'd seen over the abyss seemed to settle into him like an aura. He grabbed her hand and looked right into her eyes. Her own blue eyes widened then her face broke into a grin. "Jeff?" she repeated, seeing nothing but pure love and joy behind those blue-gray eyes she'd come to know so well. "What on _Earth..._?"

"That's just it, Penny," he said. "It's not _of_ Earth. _We're_ not of Earth." With that confounding statement, he grasped her hand and began pulling her toward the steps. "Where are the boys and Tin-Tin?" he called over his shoulder.

"The slaves and I got them to Thunderbird Two," Penny replied. "Then the other slaves all started coming. You have a pod full of them, Jeff."

He smiled as they rounded the landing and started down the second flight of stairs. "Good," he said. "They'll be free."

Anything else he might have said was cut off as an explosion rocked the entire temple. They lost their balance and tumbled to the ground as a nearby jade statue wobbled. Jeff looked up just in time to see it falling right toward Penny's face. He grunted and wound his arm around her body, pulling her to safety just in the nick of time as the statue hit the floor and smashed to pieces.

Bits of stone and pieces of artwork and ancient weaponry rattled and began falling as the ground continued to shake...a sword clanking, a piece of the temple cracking and thudding to the floor below. "Let's go, Penny!" Jeff said, hauling her to her feet.

She didn't know what had come over him, but Penelope _liked_ it.

6:47:39

Hissing, snarling sounds emerged as those demons who'd not been in their realm at the time the bomb hit found they were trapped. The abyss collapsed, the entry to Darkness imploding before bursting outward, sending demons and fire spewing high into the air. Just like that, the vortex seemed to dissipate, leaving a star-filled sky. The temple roof began caving into the floors below as Belah's voice cried out, filling the jungle with a mournful wail.

Jeff and Penny emerged from the giant front doors and ran down the steps as one column to their right slowly began to crumble. A hover bike waited on the edge of the clearing and they made a mad dash for it.

Then something came screaming up behind them. Something neither of them was expecting.

6:49:01

Brains watched his satellite imagery screen and gasped as something suddenly appeared. They'd blasted safely into the mesosphere high above the planet's surface and had been waiting to find out if anyone in the temple had survived. Brains had been thankful to see a large group of people inside Thunderbird Two – he only wished he could tell if any of them were the family. Two more inside the temple had sent a wave of relief washing over him.

Until he saw this.

"What in the...what in God's name is _that_?" he nearly screeched, staring at the screen.

Megan looked as well, her eyes growing as wide as the engineer's. "It looks like...nothing. Like a big...black...thing."

Brains nodded. "That's exactly what it looks like."

"What in the world could it be?"

"Nothing," Brains breathed, remembering something Kyrano and he had once discussed. "Oh, God. No."

6:52:45

Scott moaned, raising a hand to his head. Then it immediately went to his belly. He winced as he touched his burned uniform. Wondering where he was, he managed to get his eyes open enough to recognize the bulkhead of Thunderbird 2's sick bay. He turned his head to the right to find Tin-Tin sleeping on the top bunk across from him, Alan on the one beneath that.

He barely had time to wonder where his father, John and Gordon were before pain seared through his abdomen. He gasped and squeezed his eyes shut.

_What the hell happened?_

But the pain was so intense he could barely stand it. Another wave hit him, coupled with nausea and dizziness. Air hissed through his teeth as his world spun. "I have...to get...up...have to..."

6:54:48

It howled upon them. Instinctively, Jeff dropped to the ground, pulling Penny down with him. He felt it rake along his naked back and butt and shivered. It was cold.

Deathly cold.

Jeff looked up and could almost see the shapeless blackness rise up above them, then come screaming down again. He pulled Penelope back up to her feet, shoving her toward the hover bike. "Go!" he yelled.

"Jeff, no!"

He picked her up and practically threw her onto the bike, then jabbed the "on" button. "Go, Penny! I'll be okay!"

She placed her hands on the handlebars, eyes filling with tears as she looked back at him.

"I promise," he whispered before heading back to the temple.

"Jeff," she whispered. She looked up. The black smudge that seemed to be a rip in the very fabric of the night swirled for a moment before Belah's voice could clearly be heard. Then it took off, screaming after Jeff.

He was on the front steps.

She couldn't tear herself away.

He was at the front door.

She revved the bike.

The Nothing moved even faster. Jeff stopped and turned to face it, raising his arms up to the sky, his face turned upward as well. He opened his mouth as its blackness reared up to face him.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaa!" he roared, but Penny couldn't tell whether it was a cry of pain or of challenge. Right before her eyes, Jeff disappeared from view.

Penny let out a sob.

He was gone.

6:59:58

6:59:59

7:00:00


	24. Hour TwentyFour

**Hour Twenty-Four**

_The following takes place between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m._

7:00:14

In the split second he looked up, he realized too late that there was something _between_ him and the black nothing. Faintly glowing eyes...he could not react other than to cry out as the Nothing stopped. The eyes slammed into him.

He was aware of reeling backwards from the blow, but instead of sprawling to the floor, Jeff didn't feel a thing. Why hadn't he fallen? He looked up and saw his own naked back...he was...

_Oh...oh, no..._

He raised his hands. Or tried to.

_I have no arms._

He tried to run.

_I have no legs._

Jeff looked down.

_I have...no body._

He heard a chilling laugh and watched his own self turn to face him.

_What's happening?_

"I have won."

It was his body. His face. His mouth. But the eyes...were not his eyes.

"Good-bye, Jeff Tracy."

The horror of the situation became clear when Jeff's body waved an arm back toward the black Nothing behind and above it. Jeff realized that Belah _had_ won. His soul had been in _front_ of the Nothing...that was it...it was Gaat who'd been chasing them...the Nothing was actually chasing _Gaat_, not him and Penny! And when Jeff had stopped and turned to confront the void, Gaat had struck.

_I'm outside my body._

The darkness rose slightly higher as Jeff looked on in despair.

_I don't know how to get back in._

"You cannot," Belah sneered.

_How odd to see my face twisted so._

"You no longer exist, Jeff Tracy. This face is mine forevermore."

The Nothing floated over where Jeff's soul hovered.

_No. Not yet...I...no..._

It moved lower until he could feel the cold chill surround him.

_I'm leaving them. I've failed everyone._

If Jeff had been inside his body, he would have wept.

7:03:26

The hover bike engine hummed idly beneath her but she was glued to the spot, unable to move. She knew what was happening. She was powerless to stop it.

And then a screaming sound reached her ears. So high-pitched that within seconds it sent a sharp jab of pain through her head as the sound penetrated her eardrums. Her hands left the hover bike handles and flew to her ears. Penelope cried out as something came over the top of the temple...something...what the hell...?

_Oh, my God._

Eight somethings, each more frightening than the last.

They looked very much like the creature John had morphed into. The demon...they were demons! All were of the same varying shades of gray but the last, whose scales bore a reddish-orange tinge. Penny's hands slowly lowered, her mouth hanging open as she sat frozen in time, unable to tear her eyes away as the demons surrounded Jeff's body.

_Jeff...please God, please...oh, Jeff..._

7:05:40

Belah snarled as the demons surrounded him. They snarled in return, baring their teeth, serpent-like tails twitching to and fro, paper-thin wings flapped slowly to keep them still.

"Why are you here?"

The reddish creature approached him. He knew her. She was his own primary demon...or at least, she had been when he had been in his own body before dying at the hands of International Rescue.

"I ask again, Jinn-tanah, why are you here?"

"Radzi Belah, you know why we have come."

"Begone! I have no longer the need for your services."

"Silence, servant!" she hissed. "It is not your place to command."

He snorted in disgust. "I have commanded the Hampa to appear and have taken the body I have chosen. I command _all._"

"You were given too much leeway by the Master," Jinn-tanah growled. "I warned him of your intentions but he did not believe. Now you have sealed this entry to our world."

"I did not do that!" he cried. "It was International Rescue!"

"Ah, yes," she purred, rocking back onto her haunches in mid-air. "Those whom you have tried to use us to kill for _years_, Radzi. You failed. You were brought to dwell with those to whom you rightfully gave your soul and it was there you were to remain for eternity! Yet you chose to violate the most sacred law of Darkness; one which cannot ever be broken. Ever!"

"My soul is mine to take. I have taken it and once again I live upon this plane!"

"No, Radzi Belah," she whispered fiercely, moving her face so close to his that he could feel her heated breath. "You do _not_ live on this plane." Jinn-tanah rose back into the air to join the other seven demons, all hissing and snarling, chops snapping ominously. "You no longer live on _any_ plane."

"What?" he asked, eyes widening in fear. "What do you mean?"

"For violation of the sacred pact you made with our Master, it is _you_ who shall be banished."

"What? No!" Belah stumbled backwards, falling ass-over-head down the steps before scrambling to his feet. "No! I will reseal the pact! I will join you below!"

"It is too late!" she howled, throwing her head back. "You cannot be trusted and now, you shall be extinguished for_ever_!"

"No!" Belah cried as the demons rose even higher and circled overhead. He backed away, eyes glued to Jinn-tanah's magnificent body as she swooped down. "Noo!"

She rocketed for Jeff's soul, the other demons following in a straight line. Belah turned to run.

7:12:16

Jeff was only vaguely aware of things around him. He felt so sleepy...not altogether there...like he was fading...dissipating...he thought if a breeze wafted near he might just dissolve in it, molecules taken away into space.

He heard something but couldn't place it...couldn't think...a sound...screaming, hissing...loud...interrupting his calm...his serenity.

_Prepare, Jeff._

The voice...he should know it...

_You are returning._

Suddenly the world spun 'round and 'round, everything spiraling out of control. He saw colors whizzing by at light-speed, then his own face filled his field of vision. A white wall-like object shot up between him and his body and he felt like he was covering his face with his arms as he hit the barrier.

He turned all around and saw nothing but black.

_Where am I?_

The Nothing? He must be in there. He was gone, that was the only explanation. He'd been banished. This was it. Alone here in Nothing forever and ever.

A bluish mist appeared in the distance. He watched as it came nearer, growing larger with every inch it advanced. Soon he was aware there was something within the mist, and he peered into the distance to discern what it might be. Nearer...nearer...it felt so familiar...what was it? And then...then he knew!

"Kyrano?"

A flash of light and he solidified. The man he trusted implicitly, someone he knew he needed right now though he couldn't fathom why.

_Jeff, you are safe._

"Safe? How can I be safe? I'm in the Nothing."

_No,_ he smiled, holding one hand out toward him. _Reach for me, Jeff._

Perplexed, Jeff reached out, surprised to find that he did, indeed, have an arm. "I'm whole," he whispered as his hand met Kyrano's. Their fingers entwined as he stared at the two hands in awe. "I can feel you."

_Yes, we are real. You are not in the Hampa which my half-brother summoned. You are in the Great Void._

"Am I extinguished?"

_No. Your body and soul are re-energizing. They must re-meld after being separated so violently. This will take some time. Just relax and rest, Jeff._

"You won't leave me."

_No,_ Kyrano answered, smiling softly and squeezing Jeff's hand. _I will remain until it is time for your return. I am here to ensure your path home is true._

"My sons...Penny..."

_Do not worry, Jeff. You must remain calm to speed the reunification of mind, body and soul._

Jeff looked around, wishing he were home, back on Tracy Island in the comfort and safety of the place he loved so much. And just like that, his mansion's Lounge appeared around him looking exactly as it had the last time he'd seen it.

"How...how is this possible?"

_In the Great Void, you can see or be anything you wish._

Jeff let go of Kyrano's hand and walked to his desk, running his hand along the smooth wood surface. "But it seems so real."

_It is as real as you believe it to be._

Jeff stared around him in wonder. Then he looked up in surprise as the eyes of Scott's portrait began to blink accompanied by a beeping sound. "How can this be?" he asked aloud as he moved to open the comm link.

_No! Jeff, you mustn't!_

As he opened the channel, Scott's portrait exploded, shooting sparks across the room. Then John's portrait blew outward, and Gordon's, and Alan's. Suddenly fear filled Jeff so completely from head to toe that he reeled back against the console behind his desk. His breath came fast and hard, chest heaving. Lightheaded and confused, he groped at the air in front of him. Everything was fading around him, like a chalk picture on a sidewalk dissolving in the rain. Melting away as the fear consumed him.

_Jeff!_

He sank to his knees. He couldn't breathe. Blackness moved into the edges of his vision.

_Come to me._

He heard Kyrano but he couldn't find him, why couldn't he find him?

_I am here. You must reach out to me._

He could barely hold himself up on all fours and lost his balance as his hand reached out one more time.

This time it found fabric.

Jeff grasped the satin robes and felt Kyrano's hands upon his shoulders. He shoved himself forward, wrapping his arms around his friend's legs, clinging to him, eyes wide with fright as he buried himself in the other man's essence.

_It will be all right, Jeff._

"What...what...?" he gasped.

_Your mind has confronted your greatest fear and forced your soul to move through it._

"My...greatest...fear?" Jeff leaned back to look up, but found he couldn't properly see Kyrano.

He reached down and took Jeff's hands, slowly helping him rise to his feet.

_Yes. Loss of control._

Jeff frowned, his breathing slowing enough so his vision began returning to normal.

_You have never realized that you are in control of nothing and yet everything. Until now._

"I don't...I don't understand," he whispered, nearly losing his balance. His hands went up and landed on Kyrano's chest as Kyrano grasped his arms to steady him. Their eyes met.

_You have always sought to control every aspect of your life. Time and time again the Universe has shown you that although you cannot control your life, you can control how you __**live**__ this life._

Jeff shook his head, mesmerized by the swirling colors and sparks behind Kyrano's chocolate irises.

_You see, Jeff, you should have learned you cannot control Fate when you lost Lucille._

"Lucy..."

_And you could not keep bad things from happening to your family no matter what, which you should have seen when Gordon was in the accident._

"The hydrofoil..."

_When you worked so hard to build your companies and focused on creation for the benefit of others...for the benefit of your __**sons**__...the Universe rewarded you with billions. Rewarded you by helping you because you helped yourself._

"Tracy Corp."

Kyrano nodded.

_When Acronym struck, you were shown the value of your life and the lives of your family members. And once again shown you could not control every situation._

He finally began to understand. "But still I didn't see."

_No. And though you now understand what I have taught you, about our lives and souls, about the lessons we must learn, this was the one that your soul refused to learn._

"That I am not in control."

_And yet, that you are. Control for the sake of being in control is not possible. Control over your own actions, over how you live your life, is the key. And Jeff, this day...everything that has happened..._

"I've...I've finally learned it."

Kyrano smiled broadly, the biggest smile Jeff had ever seen on his best friend's face.

_You have, Jeff. You have._

Jeff felt a lump rise in his throat. "How can I ever thank you?" he choked out.

Kyrano gathered him in his arms, holding him close.

_This is all the thanks I require, Jeff Tracy._

Then he released him. And this time, he spoke not in thought, but with his mouth. "Now go. It is time to return to your life."

"You'll be there, won't you?"

Kyrano nodded. "I, too, have used this opportunity to repair myself after what happened earlier. I will be waiting for you when you return home."

Jeff opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't think of the right thing to say. He smiled as Kyrano began to fade. He watched as his friend nodded, closed his eyes and bowed. Then he was gone.

Jeff reached up and wiped wetness from his cheeks. He heard a sound behind him and turned.

_"Jeff...Jeff!"_

There was a faint glow coming from the other direction now. He knew that voice...

_"Jeff!"_

He knew that voice!

"Penny!" He began running toward the whitish glow. "Penny!"

_"Jeff! Jeff, come back!"_

"Penny, I'm coming!" he cried, grinning for all he was worth. Suddenly the white glow enveloped him.

"Oof!" he pounded out, air whooshing from his lungs as he slammed into something solid head-first.

7:31:02

"Scott! Oh, thank _God_!"

"Penny!" Scott gasped as he broke into the clearing. "Dad! My God, is he...?"

"No," Penny cried, her eyes filling with tears. "I thought he was, but he...he just came back, he's just started breathing again!" She looked up and gasped when she took in Jeff's eldest son. "Scott, what—you shouldn't be up and about, look at you!"

"I'm fine," he panted. His eyes widened as the ground started to shake. "What happened?"

"It's...they were...Jeff..." She clamped her mouth shut. "I have no idea," she finally said as the shaking grew worse.

They heard several loud shrieks and looked up at the temple. From every conceivable direction, the demon creatures swooped down upon it, ramming headfirst into the walls and pillars.

"What are they doing?"

"Destroying it," Penny replied, the sounds of crumbling and cracking stone reaching their ears. "We have to leave. We have to leave now!" She crouched down and grabbed Jeff's legs. "Help me!"

Scott tore his eyes away from the demons, who'd returned to the sky and were circling overhead. He grabbed his father around the stomach and, with Penny's help, lifted him onto the hover bike, sliding in behind him. His father's head rolled back onto his shoulder and Scott leaned into him, so grateful he was still alive.

But he knew they weren't out of hot water yet. Not with a bunch of demons flying around.

Penny squeezed in front of Jeff's legs, revved the hover bike and took off into the jungle. The earth shook again, sending leaves, trees and vines falling everywhere around them. Scott clamped his legs to either side of the bike seat as hard as he could to keep himself and Jeff in place. Large leaves and thorns ripped at his uniform, face, legs and hair as they whipped along faster and faster. His arms tightened around his dad's body.

His head spun.

_No, not now. Not yet. Please, not yet._

He struggled to remain coherent, quite well aware that things around him were becoming less than clear.

_I have to...nobody else can...I have to fly..._

His thoughts swam together, jumbling in a mass of words and pictures he just couldn't separate.

And then they broke through one last bunch of undergrowth into the clearing where the Thunderbirds sat awaiting their arrival. Penny slowed the hover bike and pulled herself off it as the ground began to shake even harder.

"We have to get out of here!" she cried, turning to face the two men still on the bike. "No, oh, no you don't!" she yelled, grabbing Scott's arm and shaking him. "Scott, wake up! Wake up!"

He shook his head. Had they stopped?

"Scott, please! We need you! I can't fly this thing!" she said, gesturing behind herself to Thunderbird 2's great green bulk.

The earth beneath her feet lurched, throwing her off-balance.

_We need you..._

Scott shook his head, cobwebs seeming to clear enough for him to realize where they were and what was happening. Howling screams filled the air and there was an explosion...he knew the temple was being destroyed...yes...Gaat's temple...demons...

"Dad!" Scott gasped as he opened his eyes to find his father in his arms. He jerked himself into action, swinging his leg over the back of the bike, hauling his father off it to drag him over to Two's nose. He reached up and pressed the unlock command, and the hatch opened above his head.

Penny ran up. "Boost me," she panted. Scott knelt down, bracing his good leg. She stepped on it just behind his knee, reached up and grabbed the edge of 2's open hatch. With a grunt, she pulled herself up into the nose, then turned around and hung the front of her body out, extending her arms. "Give me his hands!"

A roaring sound stopped Scott dead in his tracks. He turned to face the jungle. It sounded like a locomotive was barreling through the foliage right at them. He hurriedly raised his dad's arms until Penny had him by the wrists, then crouched down, grabbed Jeff's legs and lifted him up.

Penelope struggled to pull Jeff all the way into the hatch when it hit.

7:40:51

Scott felt the heat before he saw it. The "locomotive" roared into the clearing, and he turned to see a gigantic fireball headed right for...

"NO!" Scott cried, taking off across the clearing at a dead run.

"_Scott_!" Penny cried. "Come back!"

The ball of fire rolled faster than Scott ran. His heart clenched.

_No, it can't, it can't, it can't, not her—please not her, please not her..._

"SCOTT!"

And it hit.

The explosion created a shockwave that hurtled Scott right back the way he'd come. He landed with a thud just in front of Two's nose as a mushroom of smoke and fire rose into the sky.

Just like that, Thunderbird One was gone.

He rose to his feet, mouth wide open, leaning heavily against Thunderbird Two as he stared in disbelief at the charred black ground where his beautiful rocket plane had been standing mere seconds before. His chest heaved as an actual, physical pain filled his body. His baby...she was gone. Destroyed.

"Scott! There's another one!"

Fire spread into the jungle, flames rising at least forty feet high. Scott stared at the fire for a few seconds before his mind snapped back into itself. And he realized Penny was right as the rumbling of another "freight train" reached his ears.

He sprang into action, turning and hauling himself up into Two's nose. He closed the hatch and darted into the elevator. It rose and he was out of it and across the cockpit before the elevator even locked into place. He plopped into the pilot's chair and brought Thunderbird Two on line, powering her engines as fast as they'd go.

Even from inside the protective metal, he could still hear the fireball approaching. "Come on baby," he said, staring at the VTOL readout on the console in front of him. "Come on..."

The indicator rose to forty percent.

_Come on..._

Forty-five percent.

"Scott!" Penny cried, finally arriving in the elevator. She came to stand next to him and noticed the gauge as well.

Fifty percent.

"It's not enough," Scott growled as the entire ship shook with the ground beneath it.

Fifty-five percent.

_This can't all have been for nothing. We didn't make it this far to die now._

Sixty percent.

_Come on, girl, come on. Make Virgil proud._

Scott thought of his brother...and then of Megan...

Sixty-five.

Penelope gripped the back of the pilot's chair so hard her knuckles turned white.

Seventy.

Scott looked to his left. Out the cockpit window he saw it approaching.

Seventy-five.

_Now!_

There was no time left. Scott punched the VTOLs to life just as the indicator reached eighty percent. Two hiccoughed, only two of her rockets responding as she tried to rise.

"Come on!" Scott cried, hands manipulating three different areas at once. Penelope's eyes squeezed shut.

A third VTOL sputtered to life just as the ball of fire reached Two's left wing. Scott and Penny braced themselves...to die.

Suddenly the fourth VTOL roared to life and Scott yanked back on the steering yoke, Two's nose rearing up and back as she finally got off the ground. The fire grazed her belly and right wing as Scott rocketed her up as fast as she could go. Imbalanced bursts of power threw her into a backwards curve.

Scott yelped in surprise as she reeled back. He could hear the fireball crunching through the jungle below them as Two's tail knocked back into the tops of some of the tallest trees. Quickly he hit attitude control and tried desperately to balance the VTOL power, throwing it all into the two rear ones and punching the booster rockets. Flames spewed from her red nacelles as Two shot higher into the air, singeing the top of the jungle cover as Penny flew back into the bulkhead.

And just like that, it was quiet.

Silence enveloped them. The only sound was the whine of Thunderbird Two's engines as she rose higher and higher into the atmosphere. Scott deflated into the pilot's chair as he slowly leveled her out into straight horizontal flight. He turned as Penny approached from behind, groaning and rubbing her head.

"And Jeff said you were the best pilot he had," she grumbled.

Scott turned to look at her, his eyes wide. Then he saw the look on her face and burst out laughing. "Yeah," he said, allowing relief to consume him at last. "If only he could've seen _that_."

She laid a hand on his shoulder. "You _are_ the best," she said softly. "You just saved over three hundred lives." Off his questioning look, she continued. "You have a pod full of Gaat's slaves as well as us, Alan and Tin-Tin."

Scott turned back to face the window in front of him. He was startled when the comm link beeped.

"Thunderbird Three calling Thunderbird Two!"

"Thunderbird Two here," Scott replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Scott! I-It's Brains! I-I'm so glad you made it!"

"Same...same..." Scott's eyes closed slightly before popping back open.

"Just stay awake," Penny said, moving to his left. "Brains, we have injured on board, Scott included."

"Right. I'm feeding coordinates through now. If Scott can make it there, we have a group o-of our agents standing by to help us offload and get back on our feet."

"I..." Scott faltered. He just felt so tired. _So_ tired. But then he recalled Penny's words.

_You just saved over three hundred lives._

He straightened in the chair. He wasn't about to let them die _now_.

"I can make it, Brains," he finally said, his voice sounding surprisingly strong. "How is everyone?"

"John hasn't regained consciousness, but the knife wounds we were, uh, expecting, seem to only be surface gashes. I-It makes no sense, but it's better for him than what we thought we'd find."

"And Gordon?"

"He's still in some pain, but overall I think most of his trouble is e-exhaustion."

"Okay, thanks, Brains. We should be arriving at the coordinates you gave me in approximately fifteen minutes."

"F.A.B. See you there, Scott."

"F.A.B."

"O-Oh. Uh, Scott? Megan says to tell you she'll see you there as well."

Scott grinned. "You tell her she damn well better."

Brains chuckled. "And, Scott?"

"Yeah?"

"That was some fantastic flying."

A lopsided smile graced his face. "Thanks, Brains. Thunderbird Two out." He closed the channel and jumped when another voice came from behind him.

"He's right, Scott."

He turned to find his father standing in front of the elevator, a blanket wrapped around his middle.

"I was in the nose. I felt the heat and the thrashing of this ship. I don't think even Virgil could've righted her like you did."

He grinned. "Don't ever tell _him_ that."

"I don't plan on it."

"How are you, Dad?"

Jeff wrapped his arm around Penelope, who leaned into him. "You know, son, I think I'm actually all right."

Scott took in the sight of his father as Penelope leaned up and kissed his cheek. He smiled. They'd made it. Once again, they had survived. And, he thought as he contemplated his father's face which looked different somehow...he knew they'd come out better for it, all things told.

Wounds would heal in time. And he? Scott smiled. He was a man in love. He barely managed to keep in a laugh as he steered Thunderbird Two into the clouds.

7:58:48

Nestled into a basket Ruth had filled with blankets, the light-skinned, dark-haired boy wailed uncontrollably. Nothing she'd tried, none of the tricks she'd used with her own son and then, later, her grandsons, had worked. Esunge simply would not be silenced.

"Monkey!" was the single word he screamed over and over. "Monkey!"

Finally, at her wits' end, Ruth picked him up and walked out to where John lay in one of the beds. He was sleeping soundly and it took a moment as she watched the rise and fall of his chest for her to realize it was suddenly silent.

Esunge rubbed the tears from his eyes, held his arms out toward John and hiccupped, "Monkey."

"_That's_ Monkey?" she asked, raising a brow. "John?"

"Monkey, Monkey!" Esunge repeated, trying to lunge out of her arms.

"Oh, for heaven's sake, if you keep that up, you'll wake him!" she admonished. She knew the child had been through an awful lot, though she didn't know all the details. Figuring peace to be better than continued crying, Ruth gave in and laid Esunge in the crook of John's arm. He stirred, but didn't wake.

Within seconds, Esunge was asleep.

"Well, I'll be," she whispered, caressing his cheek with her finger. "Good night, little one." To her surprise, John's mouth curved into a smile as he pulled the baby closer to his body. "I think I may have just gotten myself a great-grandson."

7:59:58

7:59:59

8:00:00

_~End~_


End file.
